By Mark Vester
Commonwealth lightweight champion Amir Khan (16-0, 12KOs) is mapping out his future for the next two-years. The first order of business is to clean out the lightweight division, then he plans to move up to junior welterweight and take out the big names, which include countrymen Ricky Hatton (43-1, 31KOs) and WBC junior welterweight champion Junior Witter (36-1, 21KOs).
Khan would like to win a major title at lightweight and then make his move to 140. He expects the move to 140 to take place in 18-months, or the final quarter of 2009. Should he win a major lightweight in the near future, a move to 140 may come earlier than expected.
A fight with Hatton is a dream fight for UK fans, but Khan is not confident that Hatton will be around by the time he makes the move to 140-pounds. Khan tells The Guardian that Hatton's style is made for him.
"You have got some good fighters there. You've got Junior Witter, Ricky Hatton. Particularly Ricky Hatton, if it ever happens. I think he'd be made for my style. Ricky you have to look for and speed helps," Khan said.
"And with Junior Witter, speed helps too because he's very lateral. Most people haven't faced anyone as fast as me. To be honest, I don't think the fight (with Hatton) would ever happen. I can't see Ricky Hatton being around in 18 months. But if he is then you never know."
As far his physical abilities at the weight, Khan would tell the paper that 140-pounds would only make him stronger.
"At light-welterweight I'd be hitting a lot harder and I'd be a lot stronger. I don't want to come to a stage where I'm killing myself to make the weight. Once you start killing yourself you don't perform on the night. I want to win a world title at this weight and then I'll go up."
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