Roach's angle on Khan-Maidana

This is Roach's angle on Maidana: "We just fought a mandatory and I feel that we should be able to fight one fight before that. I do want Amir Khan to fight Paulie Malignaggi because I thought it was a good fight for Amir in New York to be welcomed to America in his first American fight. I have no problems fighting Maidana because I think Amir can outbox him. I know it's a dangerous, dangerous fight, but I have not suggested that he drops his belt and gives that up," stated world-class trainer Freddie Roach as he talked about the future plans of WBA jr. welterweight champion Amir Khan. Not too long ago, there was a rumor floating around that Roach advised Khan to vacate his title instead of facing mandatory challenger Marcos Maidana. However, the 2009 Trainer of the Year set the record straight during a recent appearance on the OnTheGrind Boxing Radio Show. "Maidana, if we end up having to fight him right now, I think that's a shame because I think that's a fight that can be built up into a really, really big fight. I think if they put those guys on the same show a couple of times and have the winners fight each other," Roach would explain as he clarified previous comments he made that were taken out of context. According to Roach, neither fighter has garnered enough exposure with the American public and he believes the fight could be much bigger if both sides hold off for now on the intriguing matchup. "The thing is, in America, neither guy is really well-known. I mean, Amir's gotten a little bit of attention over here, but he still hasn't had his debut in America yet," he continued. "I was hoping to go in a different direction after we did just fight our mandatory against Salita. I was looking to Malignaggi next and then Maidana after that or Victor Ortiz or whoever it may be." Whether or not Khan indeed vacates his title depends largely in part on whether or not the rumors are true regarding his change in promoters. According to Steve Kim of Maxboxing.com, Khan has dumped long-time promoter Frank Warren and has signed with Golden Boy Promotions. If true, it's doubtful that Golden Boy Promotions, who also co-promote Maidana with Universum, will be eager to stage a showdown between both fighters, meaning Maidana will probably be offered step-aside money to allow Khan to keep his title and move forward with another bout. In fact, sources say that Golden Boy Promotions has already had initial talks with promoter Lou DiBella about matching Khan up against Malignaggi. "He does not want to give that belt up. He's proud of that belt. He won and he wants to keep it," Roach would reiterate. So he's not trying to get Khan to duck or vacate, he's just trying to build it into a much a bigger fight by getting both fighters to have a high profile fight in the States first on the same card, and is hoping Maidana will take some step-aside money in return for going along with this strategy.

Comments (20)

I can kinda see Roach's point of having to fight two mandatories in a row... I wouldn't mind seeing Khan-Maliganggi either... That fight would be GREAT... especially since the two obvious dont like each other as well

16y ago

TheSurgeonMDMPH

same shyt he is doing with pacq. make ur name off washed up fighters and create the illusion that ur some type of world beater. pray that maidana loses in the meantime.

16y ago

2120

But if Maidana accepts step-aside money for a guaranteed date against Khan in his next but one fight, and if he's on the undercard of Khan's next fight, which is what Roach is asking for, then it's not a cynical move at all, it's just a sensible way of building the fight up. If Khan vacates then I'd agree with you and would call him a ducker and a chicken. But if it pans out like Roach is asking for, I don't see the problem, in fact it seems to me to make a lot of sense. your scenario is based on an IF bottom line is roach does not want khan to get in the ring with miadana and they are willing to vacate to do it besides that i am not implying anything else. not implying khan is scared or ducking miadana The "if" is based on what Roach is asking for in his interview. Bottom line, you're putting prejudiced speculation ahead of facts. The fact is that Roach said that he does not want Khan to vacate, and he said that he does want Khan to get in the ring with Maidana, directly contradicting the speculation that claims the opposite. If he vacates in order to avoid Maidana then it will be a clear duck, end of story. But Roach explicitly says that he does not want Khan to vacate, and he clearly said that he does want Khan to fight Maidana; but he says he wants the fight to be built up first by having them both fight another fighter on the same card in the States first. I see no reason not to give Roach the benefit of the doubt when he says that, unless and until events proves him to be bullshitting. To assume he's lying at this point is just showing extreme prejudice, IMO. either way you slice it roach does not want khan in with miadana right now and prefers a match up with a soft hitting but talented malianggi thats not prejudice but a fact khan is gonna have to a) fight miadana b) give step aside money c) vacate the title d) hopes golden boy offers miadana another fight to keep khan out of his radar. no prejudice just the fact and if that means khan is ducking miadana then i will let you make that call Roach says he wants Khan to fight Maidana and that although he would prefer the fight to be built up first, he does not want Khan to vacate. That's just a fact. Furthermore, GBP is in talks to make the Khan-Maidana fight happen. Khan vs. Maidana Deal Announced By The WBA. I hope all the cynics will give him props now. If they don't then they're just haters. Roach disagrees with you. He said it's an extremely dangerous fight and that he would rather Khan vacate than to take the fight. That's why Khan left Warren, because Warren would have made the fight. Glad to see you finally figured khan out

16y ago

Dave_Rado

Khan vs. Maidana Deal Announced By The WBA. I hope all the cynics will give him props now. If they don't then they're just haters.

16y ago

BadNewz

Roach lying as usual. Maidana will never be a draw in the USA no matter what they do. They just want to put off fighting him as long as they can.

16y ago

Dave_Rado

I hope Maidana says NO and the WBA says NO, Who cares about building Khan in america apart from Team Khan!!! Whats that got to do with Maidana who had to fight two different WBA eliminators??? The fight isnt going to be bigger for Maidana that it would right now and if he lets Khan off now he might never get his chance because Khan would be a bigger name by that time. Maidana has fought one eliminator (against Ortiz), not two. He's also fought for the title once (against Kotelnik, in which he lost very narrowly). His last fight was against a bum (not an eliminator, just a keep busy fight), and was in Argentina, which was very counter-productive, because it allowed his name to sink below the radar and meant he lost most of the momentum generated by the Ortiz fight - and despite the fact that several contenders were queuing up to fight him last November but he turned them down. If I were in Maidana's position, I would only accept step-aside money if I was on the under-card of Khan's next fight and if I was given a contractual guarantee that I would fight Khan next (or the winner, in case Khan should lose). That would be exactly the same situation as when Ruiz accepted step-aside money to fight the Haye-Valuev winner, rather than forcing Valuev to fight him straight away - which was a win-win for all three fighters involved. That said, boxrec is already listing Khan-Maidana as being on for April 17, at Mandalay Bay, so it looks like it will happen next.

16y ago

Ray

16y ago

El_Jesus

If he were to knock out a fringe contender (rather than an outright bum), which he's more than capable of doing, on the undercard of Khan's next fight, and if the fight is in the States, that would certainly help to build interest in the rivalry and make it into a much bigger fight. here in the states its going to take alot more than that to build any kind of interest for a kahn/maidana fight, neither guy is going to be any kind of success overnight. Amir is no prince naz.

16y ago

aznhybrid

Speed, Kills.

16y ago

aznhybrid

Power, Hurts.

16y ago

ATG_Fighter

Maidana is definitely more dangerous for Khan than Paulie. I really hope Roach and Khan don't backdown on this fight. I would lose respect for Khan and it would also mean that Roach is also convinced about that glass chin.

16y ago

OnePunch1099

Roach seems to forget that Khan has a manager and a promoter that will make the decision about Khan's next move.

16y ago

Dave_Rado

i dont understnad how you can build up maidana, the guy scored a TKO over victor ortiz, that might actually be the best win hes ever going to get, anything more than that its a showcase of him knocking out some bum but thats about it, If he were to knock out a fringe contender (rather than an outright bum), which he's more than capable of doing, on the undercard of Khan's next fight, and if the fight is in the States, that would certainly help to build interest in the rivalry and make it into a much bigger fight.

16y ago

Dave_Rado

i want this fight too happen its a winnable one for khan and one he would get huge credit for,its a tough fight and will show us how well khan is progressing imo I agree wholeheartedly.

16y ago

The_Demon

i want this fight too happen its a winnable one for khan and one he would get huge credit for,its a tough fight and will show us how well khan is progressing imo

16y ago

Dave_Rado

Khan is gonna fight a beatable opponent while the rest of the division is stepping up so I don't think it would change the fact that he's a ducking piece of garbage regardless of whether or not the WBA lets him keep his strap or not. You make a lot of good posts. But this thread isn't one that has any from you. Not quite sure what you're trying to say, but if you're trying to say that Maidana is not a high risk fight for Khan, then Roach very strongly disagrees with you, and so do I. Maidana may be limited, but he's an effective and relentless pressure fighter, with a very big punch, a good chin, and huge heart; and is a far better fighter than Prescott. Khan has not proved, since the Prescott fight, that he is capable of keeping his chin out of the way of a pressure fighter who can punch hard for every minute of 12 rounds. Sure he'd be able to outbox Maidana for long spells, but Maidana only needs to get through once. I think Khan can do it, but it's a very dangerous fight for him, which is precisely why he should take it in order to prove to the doubters that he is not just hype.

16y ago

Dave_Rado

either way you slice it roach does not want khan in with miadana right now and prefers a match up with a soft hitting but talented malianggi thats not prejudice but a fact khan is gonna have to a) fight miadana b) give step aside money c) vacate the title d) hopes golden boy offers miadana another fight to keep khan out of his radar. no prejudice just the fact and if that means khan is ducking miadana then i will let you make that call Roach says he wants Khan to fight Maidana and that although he would prefer the fight to be built up first, he does not want Khan to vacate. That's just a fact. Furthermore, GBP is in talks to make the Khan-Maidana fight happen.

16y ago

nozorok

In all likelihood Roach probably just wants to keep Khan away from Maidana until some person with an actual chin exposes him as the crude brawler he is. Then he can say that the match would be meaningless. This is exactly what Roach is hoping for so that Khan can keep avoiding punchers. Khan is a glass chinned joke and I hope Malignaggi gives him a boxing lesson when he ducks Maidana.

16y ago

Telepath

16y ago

z0jo

he's using the mayweather-margarito excuse.

16y ago