I haven't decided if I like Khan or not anymore. It sucks because there are no other professional fighters from Pakistan, and he has so much potential and natural talent but has no idea what to do with it. Can't knock on him for having a glass jaw too much since you can't really change that, but he makes way too many ridiculous mistakes. I'd love to see him succeed, but since he lost to Garcia and barely managed to get past Molina, I've been frustrated with him. I don't think he'd like 1 full round with Floyd in all seriousness.
Well, I would expect Hopkins to fight like someone of his era who's reached where he is from where he is from and yeah, dirty. These aren't Girl Guides.
No, Khan's problem is simply being overrated... Khan doesn't have and never will have the chin for boxing. That is a potential Floyd opponent, as Floyd has wanted to fight in England for a while and it doesn't seem to me as many people there like Khan... no? yes?
Can't agree about Joe.. if nothing else we'll look at 3 of his fights. Lacy: never hit Joe as far as I know the entire fight and not only did he beat him down, it ended Lacy's career pretty much. He's not been the same fighter since that night. Kessler: Undefeated, a very solid boxer with good fundamentals, power and a big SMW. Joe took some good shots from him but showed a lot of heart and chin which Joe has ALWAYS had. Hopkins: Well, just look at who he has fought and beat since his very close loss to Calzaghe... I think that says quite a bit. Hopkins has always had a problem with guys with a high volume punch output. He got the knock down, but Calzaghe wasn't hurt with the shot. By the way, IMO you don't end your career at 46-0 with 32 of those wins being stoppages... Joe could punch much harder than people think. He was also a smart fighter. He had a great career and knew when to call it a day... much like Lennox Lewis.
Khan's problem has been since his first KO, it's like he's trying to prove he can take a punch... there were/are a lot of guys who don't have a chin like Shane Mosley ... so instead they use their defense more. Sticking to the basics and staying covered up might be boring as far as the average fan goes... but really, who cares what they think? They aren't the ones getting hit ether.
Calzaghe - Yeah, you're right. The Kessler fight was good. However, Kessler was injured going in to the fight. Although that wasn't Calzaghe's fault. The Lacey fight says more about Lacey than Calzaghe I think. And Calzaghe nearly pulled out of that one too before his dad kicked him up the ****. The Hopkins fight? What a mess! I personally had that one a draw as no one deserved to win. Why didn't he fight Hopkins earlier? Why did he wait until he was 95? As Hopkins said, if he scored so many punches, where was the damage - other than in the nuts? I will agree with you though that Calzaghe was tough and very fit. Compare him with Lewis? No way! I'd put him below Nigel Benn in British history. Yeah, he was undefeated, but so was Sven Oktte. Was he great? No way! They could have fought by the way. But Calzaghe's 46-0 record isn't exactly busting with household names like Mayweathers 45-0 or whatever is it? Frank Warren offered my mum a fight with Calzaghe at one point. But Joe pulled out with a back injury. Khan isn't the only fighter with no punch resistance. I don't personally like the term "chin" because a lot of the time they don't get hit there. It can be behind the ear, temple whatever. You don't just protect the chin. But Khan thinks a good defence is simply putting his hands up. It's not. There isn't much thought in Khan's boxing at all. He simply thinks he can overwhelm people with his speed, which, he probably could if he used his brain more. Khan looks shocked when he gets hit back, as if he is surprised! I think this is a big problem. Look how Mayweather reacted when Mosley caught him. What a punch! But Floyd didn't shut down like Khan would have. He switched on, almost like he went into danger-alert mode, where Khan would have gone to sleep. I believe a lot of it is mental and preparation, not just solely the fact he can take a punch. He survived Maidana (spelling?), somehow, right? There must be some kind of resistance somewhere. I don't think Khan is particularly popular. He is famous, but I am not sure he has a massive fan club. The recent tabloid stories probably won't help. Seems like he has been getting his little willy out everywhere! Not good!
Believe it or not, Khan has a massive fan club, one of the biggest if not the biggest in boxing. All the Pakistanis, even the ones who don't like boxing, support him like how Filipinos blindly support Pacquiao. Me? I don't blindly support anything, and that goes for anything in life. Khan has heart to keep going, he just can't take a hit. Your analysis was spot on though. He has no thought put into anything. I have never seen him actually figure out an opponent and adjust. He has never altered his game plan mid-fight.
Some good points. I don't think that Joe had the same faith in himself that his Father and others had in him. Hopkins was hurt in that fight. If you google the the interview with Nazim Richardson, he admitted that he almost stopped the fight because Bernard went to the wrong corner I think it was 4 times. I can find the article if you want, but that's basically what he said. I agree the fight was a mess, but Joe simply outworked him and if a fight is close, any decent judge is going to go with the more busy fighter, as there is nothing else to score on. The Kessler fight: Perhaps he had some injury issues, but that isn't Calzaghe's fault, and to blame that on Kesslers loss on it isn't fair IMO. Kessler lost because, much like Hopkins... Joe overwhelmed him with punches and a chin that Kessler likely didn't realize he had. I remember one particular uppercut he caught Joe with, and he stayed on his feet pretty much unhurt. When you can't hurt a guy and you don't have the movement that a guy like Floyd or an Andre Ward does... you're lost and have nothing to fall back on. I didn't mean to insinuate that Joe's record as far as opposition was that his career was up there with Lewis. I just meant that he fought good opposition, retired undefeated, made plenty of money, and knew when to call it quits instead of getting KO'd over and over like Roy Jones, who has ruined his now joke of a career. Khan? Come on man... he just plain out can't take a punch. Khan almost got stopped in his last fight... let alone getting in there with Floyd. His long reach may trouble Floyd for a few rounds, but Floyd would most definitely give him a boxing lesson he would never forget. The only reason Floyd will fight him (assuming Khan doesn't get KO'd in his next fight) is because in England that fight will make big money. If I were Floyd, I would fight Bradley (undefeated with a very good resume), Garcia (hype job, but most people now think he is better than he is), Martinez at 154 (Floyd won't get as much credit, but more so than khan, he also could make HUGE money fighting him in Argentina at a stadium) as that is still a dangerous fight with a guy that is much bigger, in great shape all the time, but is in the twilight of his career such as Floyd. If he were to fight Sergio at 160, that would put him at least in the top 5 all time great list IMO, but I think that's to much weight. Now this won't happen but IF IF IF! Floyd were to go to 160 and fight Golovkin, that would make him THE GOAT. That's giving up to much weight, and Floyd Sr. in an interview I just saw said that Floyd could fight at 140 right now. After the fight with Alvarez Floyd said he woke up at 146 lbs and just drank water and I guess ate and so he weighed 150.5 I think it was. These are all just dreams of fights i'd like to see, but likely he will fight Khan next and make another boatload of money.
You are quite right about manny, and I find it so odd that testing was added to his fight with Rios AFTER he gets flattened by a guy who was IMO likely using.
I agree Khan can't take a punch. But neither can Wladimir Klitschko. And he has been doing alright for himself for the last few years. Not being able to take a punch doesn't mean you can't fight, if you are sensible. The point is, if you have a weakness, and you know you do, you have to adapt, not just plough on doing the same old thing. I heard the last couple of Khan fights they have been giving tickets away to make the venues look full. The fans cetainly don't travel for him like they did Hatton. I saw a Filipino newspaper the other day, and Pacquiao was on the front pages and back! His popularity is incredible. It's like he is some sort of god over there. Why do you assume Marquez was using out of interest?
Because I have been involved in physical fitness for many, many years. I know that based on the fact that you suddenly gain power than you show that you never had for over 50 fights or so plus 39 years old with all the wear and tear of all of those fights and on top of all of that you hire a KNOWN steroid coach and not only that, but one who has been excellent at using substances that are hard to find that would raise quite a bit of suspicion.
Did he suddenly gain power though? Pacquiao looked stronger all fight to me, and the KO was also partly down to the fact Pacquiao 'jumped' in as Marquez threw it. I have to say, although a lot of people have questions over Marquez, I myself haven't seen anything to make me think, "Yep, he's on something." And the hired known steriod coach thing, surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to do it again so soon? And to know the ins and outs of drugs he needs other knowledge too that would be useful to an athlete? But hey, I am biased towards Marquez! And don't forget not long ago he was drinking his own wee! Maybe giving up that habit helped!
Apparently, it is. There'd been several mentions here regarding Khan-Maywhether. I took them as being a bit young-in-the-cheek but now it sounds as if they are seriously talking about inking the deal... http://www.examiner.com/article/amir-khan-is-the-frontrunner-to-get-battered-by-floyd-mayweather?CID=examiner_alerts_related_articles http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/mayweather-could-face-khan-next-khan-alexander-now-doubtful-227554
