Khan-Kotelnik: What Does Amir’s Choice of Opponent Say About Him?

I don't know why people hate on Khans level of opposition. Your first ten fights are supposed to be easy, and ease you into the pro ranks. After that, Khan has fought solid names. Limond (Knocked Khan down) Lawton Earl Gomez (Knocked Khan down) All of the above are solid domestic names. Two knocked Khan down and had him digging deep, while Lawton gave John Murray a good fight (2 years after Khan beat him), and Earl gave Katsidis a scare in his previous fight. So to say Khan is cherry picking his fights is off the mark. All of the above fighters were worthy competitors at the time, and a couple of them had Khan in bad trouble. After that he fought Prescott (KO'd Khan in the first round) Fagan (Tune-up) Barrera (A very dangerous and worthy fight) His next fight will be against Kotelnik who is very good and technical boxer.

I’m finding it hard to see Amir Khan’s (20-1, 15 KOs) choice of WBC light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik (31-2-1, 13 KOs) as his next opponent in a favorable light. Oh, yeah, the name of the game is getting a title shot above all, but when you do it by jumping out of your own division (lightweight) to find easier pickings elsewhere, it seems as if you’re trying to pull one over on the boxing public....................what do you guys think ???? IMHO he is still learning, Khan thinks he is still learning and Roach thinks he is still learning. People seem to forget Amir is still only 22, what's the fr*gging hurry? There are a great many boxers you would never accuse of those things who waited much longer before fighting opponents of Kotelnik's - or even Prescott's - class. Sure, there are guys out there at both LW and LWW that would beat Khan now.. but if he keeps fighting and keeps learning I'm far less sure they would beat him in two or three years time. So why fight them now? I'm not so sure about 'jumping out of your own division' either; Khan is tall for a LW without lacking a good physique and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he stayed at LWW. A move up was inevitable at some stage.

As many have said, Kotelnik is a very solid, world class fighter & a legitimate title holder - big step up for Khan considering his age. Choice of Kotelnik as an opponent says to me that they are worried about Khan's chin, but are very confident in his skills... Kotelnik is an excellent technical boxer, with very good accuracy & a superb defence, but is not a big puncher (although he can still hurt you). Khan has handspeed, height & reach, power, as well as footspeed advantages over Kotelnik, with footspeed maybe being the key. Kotelnik has a big, top-level experience gap over Khan, & is a very smart fighter who is good at negating his opponents advantage's & taking over the fight in the mid rounds (see the Witter fight for details). Will Khan's speed & talent shine through, or will Kotelnik's experience & smarts take over the fight in the mid rounds, as he has done many times before. Will Khan be able to hold it together over the long haul against a fighter as good as Kotelnik? Should be interesting... very good response.....tho i still think the khan camp have took the easiest way to a world title.....very good business decision tho

As many have said, Kotelnik is a very solid, world class fighter & a legitimate title holder - big step up for Khan considering his age. Choice of Kotelnik as an opponent says to me that they are worried about Khan's chin, but are very confident in his skills... Kotelnik is an excellent technical boxer, with very good accuracy & a superb defence, but is not a big puncher (although he can still hurt you). Khan has handspeed, height & reach, power, as well as footspeed advantages over Kotelnik, with footspeed maybe being the key. Kotelnik has a big, top-level experience gap over Khan, & is a very smart fighter who is good at negating his opponents advantage's & taking over the fight in the mid rounds (see the Witter fight for details). Will Khan's speed & talent shine through, or will Kotelnik's experience & smarts take over the fight in the mid rounds, as he has done many times before. Will Khan be able to hold it together over the long haul against a fighter as good as Kotelnik? Should be interesting...

khan is not top class but if these domestic fighters have got some guts they must have fought world level................ if khan wins the title he will either defend it 2 ricky hatton or he will go bck dwn 2 lightweight he cnt hang with top level welters

khan is not top class but if these domestic fighters have got some guts they must have fought world level................

Khan is good fighter and he has taken smart move of moving up in weight .in this way he can fight lot of good fighters in light welter weight. Light weight fighter has to up weight to fight with him and in this way is gonna be hard for them .......Smart move, gets more fame and in money wise toooo

Thanks for saving me the trouble buddy. lol Khan is out of dometic level. Just a fact, until someone beats him and puts him back in it. He has actually beaten more than enough of those domestic fighters to have a leap in class. If John Murray wants it, he should make his own movements. Khan has a far stronger resume than Murray anyway. He's done good. The way I see it, if you constantly criticise Khan at this point in his career, you have to be some kind of cunt, really. khan has fought nobody worth shouting about lol an old shot barrera where the fight should have been stopped n the 1st.....an irish pe teacher....he has ducked all the hard challenges like murray thaxton,meager etc,im not saying khan wouldnt win at domestic level theres just no way he is world class

There is a difference between getting out of domestic level and fighting domestic level, The poster didnt say anything about Khan fighting domestic rivals just saying he has got out of the domestic level and i agree with the poster Khan has got out of the domestic level and is around the european/fringe contender on the world stage. Moreover he cant fight every domestic fighter available, Calzaghe didnt do it, Hatton didnt do it. Khan has also fought Earl and limond but i see you conveniently left that out of your post/arguement. Thanks for saving me the trouble buddy. lol Khan is out of dometic level. Just a fact, until someone beats him and puts him back in it. He has actually beaten more than enough of those domestic fighters to have a leap in class. If John Murray wants it, he should make his own movements. Khan has a far stronger resume than Murray anyway. He's done good. The way I see it, if you constantly criticise Khan at this point in his career, you have to be some kind of cunt, really.

Calzaghe did it for 10 years and is now a hero. Amazing hypocricy. I never really pay much attention to Khan before but the way our own people seem to be wanting the boy to fail for whatever reasons in their little narrow-mind has make me want to root for him to suceed.

your comment is utter shite.....you stated tht khan has got out of domestic level lol wat good domestic level opponent has he faced because john murray,thaxton,mitchell all have called him out and he took on fagan....he is a joke There is a difference between getting out of domestic level and fighting domestic level, The poster didnt say anything about Khan fighting domestic rivals just saying he has got out of the domestic level and i agree with the poster Khan has got out of the domestic level and is around the european/fringe contender on the world stage. Moreover he cant fight every domestic fighter available, Calzaghe didnt do it, Hatton didnt do it. Khan has also fought Earl and limond but i see you conveniently left that out of your post/arguement.

This is the minimum Khan will be, so this is why I don't get why people don't like him. And your comment counts as props, and is positive-and it's not that positive dude, lol. But at least your not negative. What you have here, was a 17-year-old Kid who won Silver at the Olympics who is now operating at world-level in the Pro game. By anyones standards he's doing good. Khan is the only young fighter with people that dislike him; yet have high standards for him to reach at the same time. It's like have your cake and eating it, then shoving the remaining pieces of cake up your ignorant arse. Khan could have been anything, he could have never got out of domestic level. But he has, and he has shown great hunger. He's done alright so far. He could have been anything, a complete failure-he isn't. Well done Khan. your comment is utter shite.....you stated tht khan has got out of domestic level lol wat good domestic level opponent has he faced because john murray,thaxton,mitchell all have called him out and he took on fagan....he is a joke

He wants a title, and to be able to say he was a "champion" at the end of his career in the face of the disastrous fall which likely awaits him in the near future.

Thats what i dont get, People just want the boy to fail for whatever reason..This is f**king 2009 and we still have idiot in our country who are still backwards, The boy is 22 yrs old, Doesnt have great power, Still learning and all they do is critise and shit on every little thing he does. But other fighters in this country have done the exactly samething if not worst and gets a pass...f**king hypocrites. Calzaghe did it for 10 years and is now a hero. Amazing hypocricy.

WHO GIVES A FLYING FUK ABOUT THAT....WHERE THE FUK IS THE BIATCH WITH THE PERFECT TITS??? TAKE THIS WHITE BOY (Em is dope though) THE FUK OUTTA HERE AND GIVE ME BACK THEM BONGOS!!! I DEMAND....NAY...I COMMAND YOU TO PUT THOSE TITS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG :damnit1: In other words...can you pls put up your old sigi?? I'd much rather look at that fine biatch with the beautifull tits than ma wiga Emm....thank you:bigeyes: your wish shall be granted ;)

This is the minimum Khan will be, so this is why I don't get why people don't like him. And your comment counts as props, and is positive-and it's not that positive dude, lol. But at least your not negative. What you have here, was a 17-year-old Kid who won Silver at the Olympics who is now operating at world-level in the Pro game. By anyones standards he's doing good. Khan is the only young fighter with people that dislike him; yet have high standards for him to reach at the same time. It's like have your cake and eating it, then shoving the remaining pieces of cake up your ignorant arse. Khan could have been anything, he could have never got out of domestic level. But he has, and he has shown great hunger. He's done alright so far. He could have been anything, a complete failure-he isn't. Well done Khan. Thats what i dont get, People just want the boy to fail for whatever reason..This is f**king 2009 and we still have idiot in our country who are still backwards, The boy is 22 yrs old, Doesnt have great power, Still learning and all they do is critise and shit on every little thing he does. But other fighters in this country have done the exactly samething if not worst and gets a pass...f**king hypocrites.

i just dont see anything special in kahn.....i think he has potential to be a solid good fighter, but i just dont see him as ever being elite....i could see him as a solid gatekeeper.....a luis collazo type....i'm sure all the endoresment companies that wasted money on kahn, are really kicking themselves This is the minimum Khan will be, so this is why I don't get why people don't like him. And your comment counts as props, and is positive-and it's not that positive dude, lol. But at least your not negative. What you have here, was a 17-year-old Kid who won Silver at the Olympics who is now operating at world-level in the Pro game. By anyones standards he's doing good. Khan is the only young fighter with people that dislike him; yet have high standards for him to reach at the same time. It's like have your cake and eating it, then shoving the remaining pieces of cake up your ignorant arse. Khan could have been anything, he could have never got out of domestic level. But he has, and he has shown great hunger. He's done alright so far. He could have been anything, a complete failure-he isn't. Well done Khan.

i just dont see anything special in kahn.....i think he has potential to be a solid good fighter, but i just dont see him as ever being elite....i could see him as a solid gatekeeper.....a luis collazo type....i'm sure all the endoresment companies that wasted money on kahn, are really kicking themselves

Amir Khan deserves nothing but respect. Here is a millionnaire without ever having achieved anything in the sport-who has taken himself out of his comfort zone and showed great dedication. He's fighting a world champ, yes a weaker World Champion but one who resides a weightclass above him and who has defended his belt a few times, so he isn't a bad fighter. Amir Khan is a man, at the very least. He has dedicated himself to the sport and he is fighting a top-level if you look at the black and white of it. Be realistic.

I’m finding it hard to see Amir Khan’s (20-1, 15 KOs) choice of WBC light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik (31-2-1, 13 KOs) as his next opponent in a favorable light. Oh, yeah, the name of the game is getting a title shot above all, but when you do it by jumping out of your own division (lightweight) to find easier pickings elsewhere, it seems as if you’re trying to pull one over on the boxing public....................what do you guys think ???? Kotelnik isn't a bad fighter and he has enough power to KO Khan he's a step up in class. Considering Khans previous opposition he's really stepping it up. From Willie Limond a super feather moving up with only 7 KO in 20+ fights to Prescott, Barrera and Kotelnik