by Edward Chaykovsky
Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya is expecting a classic on May 7th, when Amir Khan (31-3, 19KOs) moves up in weight to challenge WBC middleweight champion Saul 'Caenlo' Alvarez (46-1-1, 32KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Khan, who moved up to welterweight in 2014, will jumped to a catch-weight of 155-pounds for Canelo.
Some are calling the fight a physical mismatch, because of Canelo's ability to pack on additional size between the weighin and the fight.
De La Hoya is not expecting a physical mismatch. He predicts a classic encounter which might mirror the exciting battle between Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler. In 1987, Leonard came off a three year layoff, and moved up by two divisions, to win a split decision over Hagler to capture the WBC middleweight crown.
Khan is returning from a one-year layoff himself. He was last in action back in May of 2015 with a twelve round decision of Chris Algieri.
Canelo capture the title last November in the biggest fight of his young career, when he boxed his way to a twelve round unanimous decision victory over Miguel Cotto at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
"'Remember what happened - Sugar Ray Leonard went up to fight the awesome Marvin Hagler and everyone feared for his life because of the natural difference. Amir will be fine as long as he resists the urge to engage with Canelo," De La Hoya said.
'It is his natural fighter's instinct to trade punches which has been his Achilles heel, which MarcosMaidana almost exploited, and which was his downfall on a couple of occasions when he lost. It will be a tremendous fight, a classic between speed and power."
