Andriy Kotelnik Wants Amir Khan; Shaw Saw a Robbery

By Mark Vester

Former 140-pound champion Andriy Kotelnik would like another crack at Amir Khan. Last year Khan won a twelve round decision over Kotelnik to capture the WBA title. Kotlenik made his return last Saturday in St. Louis, losing a close fight to WBC/IBF champion Devon Alexander. Kotelnik feels he was robbed of a decision win. He can't understand how the judges scored the fight for Alexander.

Kotelnik is now promoted by Don King and plans to continue his title quest in the United States. He told BoxingScene.com's Ryan Burton that a rematch with Khan was at the top of his list. Kotelnik is the only man to beat Marcos Maidana, who many feel Khan is avoiding.

"I would like to fight Amir Khan again," Kotelnik said.

Alexander is moving on to a possible unification with WBO champion Tim Bradley on January 29. Bradley's promoter Gary Shaw has sided with the fighter from Ukraine, telling BoxingScene's Lem Satterfield that Kotelnik would have been would have been the new champion if the fight was held outside of Alexander's hometown.

"Well, I watched the Devon Alexander fight with great interest after reading the quotes from Kevin Cunningham about how Devon was going to make this a short night and jump Kotelnik's a**. Devon has no defense and didn't know what to do with Kotelnik. The only place that he could have won that fight on that night was in St. Louis on a Don King-promoted card. Any other venue in the United States of America, and Kotelnik walks away with the title. At the end of the day, Devon Alexander got lucky and Kotelnik got screwed," Shaw said.

"Devon and his manager are two loud mouths filled with disrespect for Tim Bradley. Devon has no skill. He is the fourth best fighter in that division, unlike Max Kellerman's opinion."

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