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Khan options include Valero, Diaz and Barrera
Khan options include Valero, Diaz and Barrera
Thursday, March 26, 2009 | Print Entry
Lightweight Amir Khan is a wanted man. You know why? Because he's viewed as vulnerable in the wake of a first-round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott in September and because he brings money to the table, a lot of it.
There are three notable opponents that could be in his near future: Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch, Edwin Valero and David Diaz.
The 2004 British Olympic silver medalist continued his comeback from that shocking loss to Prescott with a five-round technical decision win against the great (but smaller) Barrera on March 14 in a fight Khan dominated. However, as good as Khan looked, you have to wonder what might have happened had Barrera not been saddled with a brutal (and I do mean brutal) cut on the left side of his forehead from an accidental head butt in the first round.
As Jim Watt, broadcasting for Sky Box Office, said of the cut during the fight, "I don't know that any cut man can stop that. I mean that's like something you would expect in a road accident. That's horrendous. It's long and it's deep. You saw the impact when the heads clashed. That's as bad a clash of heads as I have seen in all my years in boxing, and the damage, I don't reckon they can do anything with that."
Watt was right. The cut never stopped bleeding, and Barrera's face was covered with blood throughout the fight. But rather than stop the bout before the end of the fourth round, which would have meant it would go down as a no-contest, referee Dave Parris allowed it to continue into the fifth. With the bout official, it was stopped and sent to the scorecards. Khan won the lopsided technical decision and Barrera went to the hospital for 33 stitches.
Arguing the bout should have been stopped sooner and been a no-contest, Barrera promoter Don King filed protests this week with the British Boxing Board of Control and both of the alphabet bodies that sanctioned the fight for regional titles in the hopes of getting Barrera a rematch.
"Amir Khan is in possession of a tainted victory," King said. "The referee and doctor should have stopped the fight immediately after that incredible, accidental clash of heads. That they allowed the fight to continue with Barrera competing at a huge disadvantage goes against everything that's designed to protect the health and safety of boxers, the good of the sport and uphold the traditions emanating from the Marquis of Queensbury rules.
"Marco Antonio Barrera should not lose any of his position and stature to this travesty of justice. He should not be punished for what was beyond his control. He fought like the great Mexican champion he is with valor, courage and honor while those charged with ensuring a level field of competition failed the sport and the fighter greatly. They endangered his health and safety and every other boxer who follows him into the ring hereafter if this error in judgment is not corrected. … Barrera needed a seeing-eye dog to make it back to his corner from the first round, but the officials let it continue."
Whether Barrera (65-7, 43 KOs) gets his rematch remains to be seen, because the Khan camp is talking about other opponents such as Valero or Diaz.
Bob Arum, who promotes both of them, is tight with Khan promoter Frank Warren and told me this week that he and Warren are talking about the matches.
Arum said Diaz (34-2-1, 17 KOs) was being considered for a fight with Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) in July. Diaz is a gritty fighter and former titleholder who has been out of action since a ninth-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao last June. He's a lot slower than Khan and not a big hitter but still would make for a reasonable opponent. Arum said Diaz is back in the gym after recovering from knee surgery.
Valero, a former junior lightweight beltholder, faces Antonio Pitalua for a vacant belt April 4 on Golden Boy's all-lightweight pay-per-view card in a fight Arum is not involved in. However, if Valero wins, Arum said, he could be headed for England to defend against Khan in the fall.
"Frank and I have talked about those fights, and we can do either or both," said Arum, who spent time with Warren on a recent trip to England. "Obviously, Valero has to win the title for that one to work out. Frank is a close friend of mine, and if we can do good business together, why not?"
Khan, obviously, is susceptible to punchers and Valero (24-0, 24 KOs) is one of the best in the business, but Arum said that Freddie Roach, who trains Khan, is OK with the fight because "he doesn't think too much of Valero
Thursday, March 26, 2009 | Print Entry
Lightweight Amir Khan is a wanted man. You know why? Because he's viewed as vulnerable in the wake of a first-round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott in September and because he brings money to the table, a lot of it.
There are three notable opponents that could be in his near future: Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch, Edwin Valero and David Diaz.
The 2004 British Olympic silver medalist continued his comeback from that shocking loss to Prescott with a five-round technical decision win against the great (but smaller) Barrera on March 14 in a fight Khan dominated. However, as good as Khan looked, you have to wonder what might have happened had Barrera not been saddled with a brutal (and I do mean brutal) cut on the left side of his forehead from an accidental head butt in the first round.
As Jim Watt, broadcasting for Sky Box Office, said of the cut during the fight, "I don't know that any cut man can stop that. I mean that's like something you would expect in a road accident. That's horrendous. It's long and it's deep. You saw the impact when the heads clashed. That's as bad a clash of heads as I have seen in all my years in boxing, and the damage, I don't reckon they can do anything with that."
Watt was right. The cut never stopped bleeding, and Barrera's face was covered with blood throughout the fight. But rather than stop the bout before the end of the fourth round, which would have meant it would go down as a no-contest, referee Dave Parris allowed it to continue into the fifth. With the bout official, it was stopped and sent to the scorecards. Khan won the lopsided technical decision and Barrera went to the hospital for 33 stitches.
Arguing the bout should have been stopped sooner and been a no-contest, Barrera promoter Don King filed protests this week with the British Boxing Board of Control and both of the alphabet bodies that sanctioned the fight for regional titles in the hopes of getting Barrera a rematch.
"Amir Khan is in possession of a tainted victory," King said. "The referee and doctor should have stopped the fight immediately after that incredible, accidental clash of heads. That they allowed the fight to continue with Barrera competing at a huge disadvantage goes against everything that's designed to protect the health and safety of boxers, the good of the sport and uphold the traditions emanating from the Marquis of Queensbury rules.
"Marco Antonio Barrera should not lose any of his position and stature to this travesty of justice. He should not be punished for what was beyond his control. He fought like the great Mexican champion he is with valor, courage and honor while those charged with ensuring a level field of competition failed the sport and the fighter greatly. They endangered his health and safety and every other boxer who follows him into the ring hereafter if this error in judgment is not corrected. … Barrera needed a seeing-eye dog to make it back to his corner from the first round, but the officials let it continue."
Whether Barrera (65-7, 43 KOs) gets his rematch remains to be seen, because the Khan camp is talking about other opponents such as Valero or Diaz.
Bob Arum, who promotes both of them, is tight with Khan promoter Frank Warren and told me this week that he and Warren are talking about the matches.
Arum said Diaz (34-2-1, 17 KOs) was being considered for a fight with Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) in July. Diaz is a gritty fighter and former titleholder who has been out of action since a ninth-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao last June. He's a lot slower than Khan and not a big hitter but still would make for a reasonable opponent. Arum said Diaz is back in the gym after recovering from knee surgery.
Valero, a former junior lightweight beltholder, faces Antonio Pitalua for a vacant belt April 4 on Golden Boy's all-lightweight pay-per-view card in a fight Arum is not involved in. However, if Valero wins, Arum said, he could be headed for England to defend against Khan in the fall.
"Frank and I have talked about those fights, and we can do either or both," said Arum, who spent time with Warren on a recent trip to England. "Obviously, Valero has to win the title for that one to work out. Frank is a close friend of mine, and if we can do good business together, why not?"
Khan, obviously, is susceptible to punchers and Valero (24-0, 24 KOs) is one of the best in the business, but Arum said that Freddie Roach, who trains Khan, is OK with the fight because "he doesn't think too much of Valero
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