By Carlos Boogs
Light heavyweight contender Andre Ward (29-0, 15KOs) has a lot of respect for Amir Khan's decision to face WBC middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (46-1-1, 32KOs) on May 7th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The fight takes place at a catch-weight of 155-pounds, with Khan moving up by eight pounds to make the fight.
Although they fight under different promotional banners, Ward and Khan are both trained by Virgil Hunter.
Khan has been competing in the welterweight division for a short while, and he's been knocked out at lightweight and junior welterweight. All of that has made him a very big underdog in the fight.
The majority of the press is expecting Canelo to knock Khan out in the first half of the contest. Canelo often rehydrates to a light heavyweight level. There is no rehydration clause, which many view as a very big positive in Canelo's favor.
Ward is not exactly sure why so many fans and critics are ripping on Khan for taking this fight. He believes the fight will be a tough outing for both boxers, and says Khan's ability to pull off the upset is certainly being overlooked.
"I mean, it’s not going to be an easy fight for either guy, but this is what we said we want in boxing. I see a lot of people ripping Amir, but he’s got the guts to take the challenge. He's chasing this. And whether he wins or loses, he took the risk. I take my hat off to the kid," Ward said.
"Him winning the fight is by no means not out of the question. Amir’s a lot bigger than what people realize. He’s not a small kid. He’s got a lot of heart, and Virgil will have a great game plan. I know Canelo will have a great game plan. It’s going to be a great fight, but this is what we want in boxing, these types of matchups."
