Malignaggi: Khan Has Good Shot To Beat Mayweather

By Edward Chaykovsky

Former two division world champion Paulie Malignaggi was the opponent of choice when Amir Khan (29-3, 19Kos) made his American debut in 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Khan stopped him in eleven rounds. The British star left a lasting impression on Malignaggi, who see his fast-handed style as being very problematic for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Khan returns on Saturday night against Devon Alexander at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. If Khan wins, then a fight with Mayweather is a strong possibility for the first half of 2015.

“He’s a tough guy to win rounds against,” Malignaggi told the Manchester Evening News. “Guys don’t win rounds against him. It’s guys who knock him out who beat him. He’s a difficult guy to box with if you are a boxer. He knows how to not let you win rounds. Styles make fights and he could be a ton of trouble for Mayweather.”

“The guys who have success against him are the guys who try to punch and don’t care if they take one to give one. Prescott, Maidana and Garcia throw and throw hard, regardless of what you are throwing. A pure boxer likes to try to make you miss, but it is hard to make him miss. Trying to box with him is very difficult. He is probably one of the best guys at knowing how to win rounds.”

“I think Khan has a very good chance of beating Mayweather. Mayweather likes to win rounds. If he has the opportunity, he likes to win the round first. A guy who does that has a trouble with Khan.”