By Mark Vester
It appears that when UK lightweight superstar Amir Khan comes to Hollywood, California to meet with trainer Freddie Roach at the famous Wild Card gym, he will get the chance to work with Roach's prize pupil - WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Khan, who a few weeks back suffered his first career loss via a crushing 54-second knockout at the hands of Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott, has fired trainer Jorge Rubio and looking to Roach as the new man to guide his career.
Speaking with Gabriel Montoya of DoghouseBoxing.com, Khan is set to arrive with attorneys to sit down with Roach and to get some training time in order to evaluate Roach. The veteran trainer has yet to see Khan's knockout loss, but he says to be around Pacquiao will be good for him.
"Amir Khan is coming with his father and attorney. They wanted to talk to me about about re-building his career," Roach said "I haven't seen the fight [with Prescott] but I heard it was a bad knockout and probably something hard to come back from. But I figured since Pacquiao is in town, I told him I thought it would be good to be around a champion and see how a real champion works. So I said, come on down."
Khan returns to action on December 6 in Birmingham, the same day that Manny Pacquiao will challenge Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Roach tells Montoya that he's not sure if the two fighters will actually come together to do any sparring, but they will train together while Khan is in town.
"Style-wise I don't know if he is the best guy to prepare Pacquiao for this fight [with De La Hoya]. But they will work together," said Roach. "I believe he needs to get back on that horse as soon as possible. Get some confidence back and take it from there."
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@htomail.com
