Kotelnik: "I Will Knock Out Amir Khan, Then Ricky Hatton"

[lest26]

The point is that he was saying Kotelnik is the real deal and Khan is a complete bum and that Kotelnik will knock Khan out. But he isn't willing to bet on it, which shows his post was just bluster and hot air.

I didn't say Khan would win. I think it's a pick 'em fight and that it'll be a very tough fight for both fighters. I think both fighters are underrated by many. I object to irrational haters of any fighter, though, who pour scorn on good fighters and then aren't willing to back up what they say with a bet.

im willing to bet on that, khan is getting KNOCKED OUT ill bet all my points on it with you

[Dave Rado]

Well, you do see how that is not a particularly fair bet right?

If Klitschko2009 believes Kotelnik will definitely knock Khan out, then it is perfectly fair. If he doesn't, then he shouldn't bull****. What the objective odds are on him winning by KO is irrelevent - Klitschko2009 is one of the least objective posters on here, and I simply called his bluff.

As far as Amir being a bum, well no not a bum, but should he be getting a title shot?

It's a voluntary defence, it was Kotelnik who chose to give him the shot - so if that's what you're objecting to then you should be criticising Kotelnik for giving him the shot, not Khan for taking an opportunity that anyone in his position would take if they were offered it.

Was it a huge win against a cyclops Barrera?

Who precisely said that it was?

However, it was obvious in that fight that Khan has improved dramatically under Roach.

Is he not best known for running his mouth and not lasting 55 seconds after "improving" his D?

Only by haters. Among rational boxing fans he's best known for the fact that he won an Olympic silver medal in exciting style, for the fact that as a pro he continued to look exciting but amateurish until he teamed up with Roach, and since teeming up with Roach has looked far more professional; and for the fact that he is incredibly fast but has a weak chin. The chin problems are taken out of all proportion by many IMO, though, as I agree with Roach that they are mostly due to his incredibly amateurish tactics before he teemed up with Roach.

He clearly has a lot of talent - only a completely irrational hater could fail to see that. Whether that talent will ever be realised remains to be seen. But at this stage he's an exciting prospect, no more and no less.

As for running his mouth, he doesn't do so substantially more than most other 22 year olds. He's still a kid. And in his interviews he generally comes across as a very pleasant personality. He also does a lot of charity work.

I know Freddie has been looking like he's rubbing his crystal balls and seeing the future, but that's only because Pac is a Monster! (yes partially due to Freddie) But this is a huge step for Khan and Roach is not inserting any steel plates in Amir's face is he?

If you think it's only about steel plates and not about boxing ability and game plans and tactics, then you're effectively saying that Kotelnik's best chance of winning is by KO. If you really think that then you should also be willing to bet on him winning by KO.

[Phatfarm1980]

Kotelnik is no joke! Amir has been nowhere near world-title level yet and this is a big step-up for him. I do think khan has the style to beat kotelnik and I do think he'll raise his game. But, it's going to be a close fight and amir is going to have to take a few. If can't take a few solid shots from a average puncher then he doesn't have a future in boxing.

No doubt kotelnik has been working on his punching power because he knows if catches khan flush, it will be curtains! Khan needs to box better than he ever has in his whole career!

[Dave Rado]

im willing to bet on that, khan is getting KNOCKED OUT ill bet all my points on it with you

Okay let's call it 7.5k points to make it simpler. I've sigged it.

[Dave Rado]

Kotelnik is no joke! Amir has been nowhere near world-title level yet and this is a big step-up for him. I do think khan has the style to beat kotelnik and I do think he'll raise his game. But, it's going to be a close fight and amir is going to have to take a few. If can't take a few solid shots from a average puncher then he doesn't have a future in boxing.

No doubt kotelnik has been working on his punching power because he knows if catches khan flush, it will be curtains! Khan needs to box better than he ever has in his whole career!

I agree. Kotelnik is being seriously under-estimated by many people; but the haters are also under-estimating Khan. As you say, it's likely to be close, and a very tough fight for both fighters, and Khan will have to fight the best he's ever fought to have a chance of winning. I think he will fight the best he's ever fought though.

[Dave Rado]

True and he will have to knock out khan to avoid another robbery in this fight

This "robbery" thing is greatly over-done. The Witter-Kotelnik fight was very close. It's true that the majority of boxing experts scored it narrowly to Kotelnik, but only narrowly, not by a wide margin, and no very close fight can ever be called a robbery. And Britain does not have a terrible record in terms of robberies. Witter recently lost a fairly close fight to Bradley on the cards, and that fight was in Britain. Lots of British fighters have lost on points on home turf to fighters from abroad, including in close fights.

Also, do you know who the judges will be? If they are international rather than British, then there will be no grounds to call it a hometown decision. I don't understand why it isn't mandatory in all title fights for the judges and referee to be international when the fight involves more than one nationality; but Kotelnik's promoter could and should have insisted on that in the negotiations, so if they didn't, you should criticise Universum for that.

[v.cassiusali@ya]

kotelnik may probably get khan but getting hatton is wishful thinking.

anyway, he's entitled to that.

[MishaTheGreat]

If you think it's only about steel plates and not about boxing ability and game plans and tactics, then you're effectively saying that Kotelnik's best chance of winning is by KO. If you really think that then you should also be willing to bet on him winning by KO.

KO or not what I was effectively trying to convey is the best way to take away Amir's advantage of speed is to take him out of his game plan of volume punching jabbing and moving. I know he has been down at least half dozen of times in his career (maybe including last few amateur fights) and yet only been KOed once. Barrera was not able to catch Khan with ANY significant punches so it seemed like as easy day's work. I'm not sure there is anything impressive about Amir's resume, not being a hater but a prospect getting a voluntary title shot in his backyard only gives props to Andrei and Khans management. As far as his youth excuse for his mouth can Roach teach him that too? or is it only the impregeble D

[Dave Rado]

KO or not what I was effectively trying to convey is the best way to take away Amir's advantage of speed is to take him out of his game plan of volume punching jabbing and moving.

Kotlenik is very hard to hit cleanly, and is a good counter-puncher. He has quite a good chance of being able to outbox Khan but I don't think he will be able to KO him, provided Khan sticks to Roach's gameplan.

I know he has been down at least half dozen of times in his career (maybe including last few amateur fights)

As I said in my previous post, I believe that was more due to his incredibly amateurish tactics pre-Roach than to any physical weakness. And in any case lots of extremely successful fighters have had weak chins, e.g. Hearns, Norris, Roy Jones. They survived by making sure they were rarely hit cleanly.

Barrera was not able to catch Khan with ANY significant punches

No he did hit Khan hard a few times, and each time it happened, Khan immediately clinched effectively. He had never clinched effectively in any of his previous fights. That's a good example of the sort if really basic flaws that Roach has been ironing out.

I'm not sure there is anything impressive about Amir's resume

There will be if he manages to beat Kotelnik, and he deserves props for being willing to take such a huge risk fight so soon after the Prescott fiasco.

but a prospect getting a voluntary title shot in his backyard only gives props to Andrei and Khans management.

If you think that Khan doesn't deserve the shot then you should criticise Kotelnik for not insisting on fighting Ortiz. Universum turned down the Ortiz fight, with Kotelnik's agreement, in order to fight Khan, because Warren offered him a good payday.