By Lyle Fitzsimmons
Amir Khan has been here before.
While preparing to meet former welterweight title claimant Luis Collazo a year ago in Las Vegas, he spent much of his pre-fight media time answering questions about Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Lest anyone forget, it was Khan who “won” a Mayweather-orchestrated fan poll to determine “Money’s” May 2014 opponent, but he was ultimately snubbed in favor of Argentine roughneck Marcos Maidana. And when the prevailing perception out of that main event was that “Chino” had done enough to warrant a second shot – the Englishman with Pakistani roots was forced to wait again.
Mayweather immediately began calling Khan’s name after vanquishing Maidana for the second time, but the surprise agreement with generational rival Manny Pacquiao set the match aside once again.
Fast-forward to spring 2015 and the storyline remains similar.
Mayweather is biding his time before going public with his choice for what could be a career swan song in September, and Khan can take a giant step toward securing that match with a victory against another former world champion – albeit at 140 pounds, not 147 – when he meets Chris Algieri on Friday night.
It’s the third bout as a full-fledged welterweight for the 28-year-old Khan, who’s decisively beaten both Collazo and Devon Alexander while losing just five of 72 rounds across six official scorecards.
In his only other appearance above 140 pounds, he weighed 142 while narrowly outpointing Julio Diaz.
He was 18-2 with 12 KOs in 20 fights as a junior welterweight, and 9-1 with seven KOs as a lightweight.
“It used to kind of make me really weak, I couldn't hold energy, the power wasn't there and I used to walk into the fight literally, very weak,” Khan said. “You can always tell how your body is, how your body's feeling. I'm not going to be a small 147. This weight is going to be perfect for me. I'm going to be exactly where I need to be. I'm going to be nice and strong and I'm going to be nice and fresh.”
And though his observance of Ramadan would have put him out of the running for Mayweather had he been chosen last September, Khan insists that this year’s timing will be better if he winds up first in line.
The 2015 holy month runs from June 17 to July 17.
The last time Khan fought in September he was stopped in 54 seconds by Breidis Prescott, but he claimed to have picked up on some Mayweather flaws from his Las Vegas vantage point on May 2.
“Mayweather looked great and did what he had to do to win the fight,” he said. “He was catching Pacquiao with some good clean shots, his accuracy was great. That is the way he fights, he is very skillful and patient. He wants the opponent to make mistakes. That is what I like about him. But there were some things there that I haven't seen before. When he takes a good shot he does panic and the only way to catch him is speed and explosiveness but I don't think Manny did enough of that.”
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This week’s title-fight schedule:
SATURDAY
IBF junior flyweight title – Ensenada, Mexico
Javier Mendoza (champion/No. 17 IWBR) vs. Milan Melindo (No. 1 IBF/No. 8 IWBR)
Mendoza (23-2-1, 19 KO): First title defense; Unbeaten since 2011 (10-0, 9 KO)
Melindo (32-1, 12 KO): Second title fight (0-1); Fourth fight outside Philippines (2-1, 2 KO)
Fitzbitz says: The 27-year-old Filipino lost in his last title-fight road trip, but he’s been more successful against a higher level of competition than his Mexican-based opponent. Melindo by decision
IBF featherweight title – London, United Kingdom
Evgeny Gradovich (champion/No. 7 IWBR) vs. Lee Selby (No. 1 IBF/No. 12 IWBR)
Gradovich (19-0-1, 9 KO): Fifth title defense; Fighting in his third country (U.S, China)
Selby (20-1, 8 KO): First title fight; Eleventh fight scheduled for 12 rounds (10-0, 6 KO)
Fitzbitz says: Gradovich has shown a level of grit and skill since winning his championship, but he’s not a substantially different fighter than before the title win – and could be out-skilled here. Selby by decision
IBF welterweight title – London, United Kingdom
Kell Brook (champion/No. 5 IWBR) vs. Frankie Gavin (No. 4 IBF/No. 17 IWBR)
Brook (34-0, 23 KO): Second title defense; Fourth fight in London (3-0, 3 KO)
Gavin (23-1, 13 KO): First title fight; Eighth fight in London (7-0, 2 KO)
Fitzbitz says: He wasn’t supposed to beat Shawn Porter last summer, but Brook’s performance there and in one defense since has given him a chance to be the next 147-pound star. Brook by decision
WBC lightweight title – London, United Kingdom
Jorge Linares (champion/No. 11 IWBR) vs. Kevin Mitchell (No. 1 WBC/No. 9 IWBR)
Linares (38-3, 25 KO): First title defense; Ninth fight in lightweight division (5-2, 3 KO)
Mitchell (39-2, 29 KO): Second title fight (0-1); Five consecutive wins by stoppage (36 total rounds)
Fitzbitz says: Linares is a bigger name with a beefier resume, but he’s also taking a road trip and his chin has been balky at inopportune moments with substantial opponents. Mitchell in 9
Vacant WBO mini-flyweight title – Komaki, Japan
Julian Yedras (No. 1 WBO/No. 25 IWBR) vs. Kosei Tanaka (No. 2 WBO/No. 7 IWBR)
Yedras (24-1, 13 KO): First title fight; First fight outside Mexico
Tanaka (4-0, 2 KO): First title fight; Second fight scheduled for 12 rounds (1-0, 1 KO)
Fitzbitz says: The hometown fighter is a teenager and has been a pro for 18 months, but he’s arguably already got a better resume than his Mexican-based opponent. Another novice champ. Tanaka in 8
Last week's picks: 3-0 (WIN: Chakhkiev, Drozd, DeGale)
2015 picks record: 33-7 (82.5 percent)
Overall picks record: 672-230 (74.5 percent)
NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class.
Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.