By Terence Dooley
Amir Khan (31-3, 19 early) tackles Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) in Las Vegas this weekend and some outlets are reporting that the bout will net the Bolton-based boxer a cool $13,000,000. However, the 29-year-old insists it is all about legacy, not money, and the challenge has come along at a time when he has the maturity to handle a superfight.
Khan believes he can add the WBC and linear middleweight belts to his title collection by beating Alvarez. Despite not holding a title at present, the former WBA and IBF light-welterweight titlist also issued some advice and words of warning for IBF heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua when speaking to the Independent’s Declan Taylor.
“Everything happens so quickly so it's about how you deal with that and how you keep hold of it as well,” stated Khan when talking about the dual pressures of success and fame. “A lot of fighters can achieve it all but within a year it's gone and they are forgotten about.
“I think of people like Michael Katsidis, one minute he's world champion and then he falls off the face of the earth. It can happen. Joshua just has to remember that it was boxing that got him this far. Boxing got you in this position and it's something that I did forget about a little bit. When I got beaten I had to remind myself that it was boxing that got me there and it was time to focus on that again. I think it's the same with Joshua—it's crucial he does not forget that it's boxing that has got him this far in life.”
Joshua has called for a showdown with Tyson Fury and David Haye has also been mooted as a future opponent. He meets America’s Dominic Breazeale at London’s O2 on June 25 in the first defence of the title he won by hammering Charles Martin in two rounds last month.
Khan, though, believes that the 26-year-old needs to acquire some more ring experience before meeting either of his two domestic rivals.
He said: “It's a good situation we have with Joshua and Fury, and then Haye too. But I feel like Eddie Hearn is pushing him a bit fast. You have to remember he's a world champion now so people will be expecting him to fight the top names in boxing. David Haye would be too soon for him and there's talk of that.
“David has been a world champion and he's very dangerous. Those are the big fights people want to see and to keep hold of a world title is very hard. I think Haye and Fury both beat Joshua at the moment but give it another two years and I think Joshua will be on fire and very hard to beat.”
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