By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Promising British lightweight Amir Khan (19-1, 15 KO's) looks good in sparring according to Wild Card gym conditioning expert Alex Ariza.
In an overseas telephone conversation with BoxingScene.com insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Ariza said Khan sparred six rounds as part of his three-times-a-week sparring sessions at the famed gym of trainer Freddie Roach who is preparing Khan for his showdown against Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera (65-6, 43 KO's) on March 14 at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester , England .
Roach told us in a previous conversation that he expects Khan to be too fast and too strong for the ageing Barrera and felt the Mexican would have a problem fighting as a lightweight.
Ariza said Khan who sparred with Raymund Beltran who has often served as one of Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao’s sparring partners and another Russian whose name Ariza couldn’t recall, has been doing very well in his workouts..
He said “Amir looked very good.” Ariza said the 22 year old Olympic silver medalist who currently weighs 142 pounds should have no trouble making the lightweight limit of 135 pounds against Barrera saying “we’ll be fine.”
Ariza said they were “going to lose a pound a week up until the fight.”
Barrera who is looking to win another world title told BBC Sport’s Ben Dirs that he will not be “a stepping stone” for Khan.
The 35 year old who held belts in three weight divisions noted that Khan “makes mistakes” and has a “questionable chin” adding that the youngsters would be “another British fighter on my list” recalling that he hammered the flamboyant and cocky Naseem Hamed on April 7, 2001.
Barrera stressed “I’m not coming to be a stepping stone. I’m coming to win the fight.”
