By Jake Donovan
To the average fighter, winning a major title means the pinnacle of his career. If nothing else pans out beyond that, he can always go home saying he once reigned as champion.
Amir Khan realized his goal of obtaining major alphabet hardware with a convincing points win over Andriy Kotelnik this past July. While it served as the biggest moment of his career to that point, he’ll be damned if it’s all he ever accomplishes during his stay in the pro ranks.
“I always have ambitions,” said Khan (21-1, 15KO), now four years into his pro career, but just 22 years young. “My goal was to win the world championship – I managed that. My next goal is to become the best in the light welterweight division. These are the challenges I need to achieve that goal.”
The first challenge on tap comes in the form of a December 5 title defense in Newcastle, England. Awaiting him will be undefeated mandatory challenger, Dmitriy Salita (30-0-1, 15KO) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Odessa, Ukraine.
At first glance, the fight is viewed as Salita traveling into hostile territory and Khan boasting home court advantage. The geographical assumption is downplayed when noted by British media that it will be Khan’s first fight in the Northeastern English town of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, approximately 2 ½ hours from his Bolton, Lancashire hometown.
The travel equivalent in the United States would be Salita going from his Brooklyn home to, say Atlantic City. But all regions aren’t created equal, and while Khan may be a star in his hometown, the trek to Newcastle is believed to be instrumental in furthering his UK appeal.
“A lot of fighters have been to Newcastle to fight, most notably Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe,” points out Frank Warren, who used to promote the aforementioned superstars and currently guides Khan’s career. “Amir has yet to travel to that part of the (country). It’s part of building his appeal, having him fight all around the country.
“Amir is a success story’ the best way to build on that success is to rally behind our fighters.”
Khan received no greater rally of support from his countryman than when he served as the nation’s lone representative during the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Just 17 years old, Khan served as the little engine that could, advancing all the way to the Finals. He was ultimately forced to settle for Olympic Silver after coming up short against Cuba’s Mario Kindelan, whom also defeated the Brit months earlier.
Afterward came the promise of capturing Gold in the 2008 Games. Instead, Khan decided to end his amateur career on a high note of a different kind, upending Kindelan in what would serve as his final amateur fight, in 2005 before turning pro later that summer.
Five years after having served as Britain’s youngest Olympian in three decades, he went on to become the third youngest champion in the nation’s history with his win over Kotelnik.
Onto the next goal – running things in the light welterweight division.
Looming now is the temptation to overlook the December fight and eye bigger game in a division traditionally loaded with talent, but where its superstars and leaders aren’t always willing to face the rest of the field.
For a fighter like Khan, marketable yet perceived to be vulnerable, there exists pots of gold in the form of fighters such as former champion Ricky Hatton, recently defeated Juan Manuel Marquez or even lineal champion Manny Pacquiao should he decide to return to 140.
If none of the aforementioned superstars opt to look his way, there still exists plenty of options for Khan to leave his impression on the division. The wait won’t be long; one week following his defense against Salita, another title fight takes place between unbeaten American light welterweights Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson.
The focus remains on Salita - for now, though presumably through fight night. Should he emerge successful, Khan has every intention of giving Bradley-Peterson a good look.
“We want to fight the best in the division,” insists Khan, who only recently moved up to 140 after having spent most of his career five pounds south. “Lamont Peterson is a tough challenger, and Tim Bradley is a great fighter. The light welterweight division is a tough division. I want to be its next superstar.”
First there’s the pesky matter of getting past Salita, unbeaten but also untested to date.
There aren’t many who give the Brooklyn-based Ukrainian much of a shot to score the upset, so a different angle is sought in order to arouse interest in the fight. Though born and raised in England, Khan is of Pakastani descent and a practicing Muslim; Salita is an Orthodox Jew.
While those in search of revving up a race or religion war will play up the pairing, Khan doesn’t pay it any mind.
“The religious thing is what we do in our private time. When it comes to fighting, I just walk to the ring and do what I have to do. We can’t bring religion into this.
“This is a fight between two great boxers, and the best man that night shall win.”
Translation: expect Khan to only focus on Dmitriy Salita, the undefeated challenger.
“I know my opponents are coming to beat me. It only makes me train that much harder. Dmitriy is my number-one mandatory challenger. I’m working on the mistakes I’ve made in previous fights and working to get better and better.”
No bigger mistake was made than the belief that he couldn’t get got. It was a lesson he had to learn the hard way, when then-unbeaten Colombian lightweight Breidis Prescott blitzed through him in less than a minute last September.
Many in the media jumped at the opportunity to kick him while he was down, insisting the knockout loss to be months in the making after having been dropped in previous fights and also of the belief that he’d never come anywhere close to living up to the hype.
Among the critics, was Khan himself, though obviously nowhere near as dismissive as those who didn’t believe he possessed the wherewithal to regroup and move onward.
Rather than dwelling on the disastrous showing, Khan took the night for what every loss should truly serve as – a learning experience.
“What happened with me in my first defeat… I learned more in that fight than in any other,” insists Khan. “When I was defeated, I looked at the entire structure of my boxing career and decided to make changes. It was a blessing in disguise.”
He’s since won three straight, though the most notable change along the way has been in weight. When the opportunity arose to face Kotelnik, Khan and his team decided it was no longer worth the effort to shrink down his 5’10” frame to the lightweight limit.
It proved to be the difference in training just to make weight, and actually focus on training for a fight. In what was supposed to be the toughest test of his career, Khan easily turned away the challenge of Kotelnik, who had long ago proven to be nobody’s pushover.
The win was Khan’s third straight following the Prescott debacle, with the Salita fight marking his fourth bout in 364 days. Not only is he all the way back, but already ahead of the curve – and by his own insistence, with the best still yet to come.
“I believe myself to be at 8o% (of his career potential). I don’t think I’ll hit my peak until I’m 23 or 24 years old.”
It could be bad news for Salita, since the fight comes three days shy of Khan’s 23rd birthday. Though beyond expectations by age, there’s also the matter of the massive upgrade Khan enjoys in his corner, which he believes will only help him further realize the next goal on his checklist – light welterweight supremacy.
“I’m with one of the best trainers in the world in Freddie Roach and will only get better.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.