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Khan-Welcome to New York
Khan-Welcome to New York
March 10, 2010
By Jasveer Singh Gill
madison In one of Jay-Z’s recent songs the chorus goes “Welcome to New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made up, there’s nothing you can’t do in New York” except, it seems, to please everybody, as Amir Khan is finding out.
Khan’s new promoters, Golden Boy, could not have picked a better opponent for their new British star in Paulie Malignaggi. If Oscar De La Hoya and co wanted to please the fans however, they could have picked plenty of better options for Khan.
Khan fans, and there are plenty of them, will see it as a great fight for their hero. It is his second defence of the WBA light-welter-weight belt against a legitimate contender. Malignaggi is a top ten light-welter weight in anyone’s list and has fought great opposition such as Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Diaz. It is in New York, Madison Square Gardens, home territory for Malignaggi, making it surely Khan’s hardest fight to date.
Yet there is one major problem that will have boxing’s die hard fans up-in-arms over Khan’s choice of opponent again. Malignaggi is far from a powerful puncher and many want to see Khan’s seemingly fragile chin tested.
So far the most powerful puncher Khan has fought in his career (Breidis Prescott) knocked him out in one round. He has also hit the canvas three times prior to this. Since that defeat he has looked superb, against people without that knockout power.
Under the guidance of Frank Warren many felt Khan was a protected fighter. The critics say he fought fighters that were far smaller then him (Marc Antonio Barrera), fighters who were deemed past it (Graham Earl) and some just not on his level (Martin Kristjansen).
What can not be denied though is his rapid progress and success at such a young age (still just 23!). Khan has won the commonwealth title and the WBA as Britain’s third youngest ever world title holder. He has headlined events since he was a teenager. His last two performances, against Andrea Kotelnik and Dimitriy Salita, were his best to date.
It was these achievements and his popular appeal, as a handsome, articulate, young British-Asian, which led to Golden Boy signing him. The promotion have a history of chucking young prospects in at the deep end only to see their fighters knocked out so they have avoided that scenario for Khan’s US debut.
Malignaggi has the solid jaw that Khan supposedly lacks, while Khan has the power that Malignaggi lacks. This makes for an intriguing fight that is certain to go the full 12 rounds. Both fighters are skilled boxers with fast hands. However, if it goes to decision, Khan would be expected to take it with his busier style.
Despite the attention that will be focused on this fight there are only two light-welter weights that can claim to be the best in the world at the moment. Timothy Bradley has beaten the likes of Lamont Peterson, Kendal Holt and Junior Witter. He possesses a solid right hand and a busy, awkward style. He is undefeated as the current WBO champion, as well as being a former WBC champion. Devon Alexander just recently stopped Juan Urango, the same fighter who took Ricky Hatton 12 rounds and is known to be a solid contender. He is also undefeated and the current WBC and IBF world title holder.
Khan will find critics still talking about the vulnerability of his chin even with a stunning win against Malignaggi. If he beats him, as I expect he will, then he will move closer to a fight against either Alexander or Bradley, two young hungry fighters on the ascendancy just like himself. Only by beating any of these two, not by beating ageing fighters such as Hatton or Juan Marquez, will Khan be able to shut up the critics.
March 10, 2010
By Jasveer Singh Gill
madison In one of Jay-Z’s recent songs the chorus goes “Welcome to New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made up, there’s nothing you can’t do in New York” except, it seems, to please everybody, as Amir Khan is finding out.
Khan’s new promoters, Golden Boy, could not have picked a better opponent for their new British star in Paulie Malignaggi. If Oscar De La Hoya and co wanted to please the fans however, they could have picked plenty of better options for Khan.
Khan fans, and there are plenty of them, will see it as a great fight for their hero. It is his second defence of the WBA light-welter-weight belt against a legitimate contender. Malignaggi is a top ten light-welter weight in anyone’s list and has fought great opposition such as Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Diaz. It is in New York, Madison Square Gardens, home territory for Malignaggi, making it surely Khan’s hardest fight to date.
Yet there is one major problem that will have boxing’s die hard fans up-in-arms over Khan’s choice of opponent again. Malignaggi is far from a powerful puncher and many want to see Khan’s seemingly fragile chin tested.
So far the most powerful puncher Khan has fought in his career (Breidis Prescott) knocked him out in one round. He has also hit the canvas three times prior to this. Since that defeat he has looked superb, against people without that knockout power.
Under the guidance of Frank Warren many felt Khan was a protected fighter. The critics say he fought fighters that were far smaller then him (Marc Antonio Barrera), fighters who were deemed past it (Graham Earl) and some just not on his level (Martin Kristjansen).
What can not be denied though is his rapid progress and success at such a young age (still just 23!). Khan has won the commonwealth title and the WBA as Britain’s third youngest ever world title holder. He has headlined events since he was a teenager. His last two performances, against Andrea Kotelnik and Dimitriy Salita, were his best to date.
It was these achievements and his popular appeal, as a handsome, articulate, young British-Asian, which led to Golden Boy signing him. The promotion have a history of chucking young prospects in at the deep end only to see their fighters knocked out so they have avoided that scenario for Khan’s US debut.
Malignaggi has the solid jaw that Khan supposedly lacks, while Khan has the power that Malignaggi lacks. This makes for an intriguing fight that is certain to go the full 12 rounds. Both fighters are skilled boxers with fast hands. However, if it goes to decision, Khan would be expected to take it with his busier style.
Despite the attention that will be focused on this fight there are only two light-welter weights that can claim to be the best in the world at the moment. Timothy Bradley has beaten the likes of Lamont Peterson, Kendal Holt and Junior Witter. He possesses a solid right hand and a busy, awkward style. He is undefeated as the current WBO champion, as well as being a former WBC champion. Devon Alexander just recently stopped Juan Urango, the same fighter who took Ricky Hatton 12 rounds and is known to be a solid contender. He is also undefeated and the current WBC and IBF world title holder.
Khan will find critics still talking about the vulnerability of his chin even with a stunning win against Malignaggi. If he beats him, as I expect he will, then he will move closer to a fight against either Alexander or Bradley, two young hungry fighters on the ascendancy just like himself. Only by beating any of these two, not by beating ageing fighters such as Hatton or Juan Marquez, will Khan be able to shut up the critics.
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