Khan’s new fighting style not much different than before

By ESB - 12/16/2012 - Comments

By Michael Collins: Amir Khan (27-3, 19 KO’s) has been saying for weeks now how he’s going to be a completely different fighter now that he’s being trained by Virgil Hunter, and that he would fight smart and in a more conservative manner.

While I did see some changes to Khan’s fighting style in terms of him throwing slightly fewer combinations and using his jab more, he still looked the same for the most part as the guy that lost to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia.

Khan was able to breeze through his opponent Carlos Molina last Saturday night with a slightly conservative offensive style, but Khan showed then same old vulnerabilities as he has in the past. He’s still throwing a lot of combinations and flurries that would have him in big trouble if he were fighting a puncher like Garcia. Khan is still getting hit with left hooks and right hands just like before.

Molina was able to hit Khan a lot, and he was able to do it despite giving up a huge four inches in height and reach. If Molina was able to hit Khan then it’s safe to say that a bigger, stronger and faster guy like Garcia will be able to tag Khan as well.

If this is the only changes that Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter is going to make to Khan’s game then Khan really needs to go back to Freddie Roach because he’s basically the same fighter that Roach was training. Whatever Hunter is trying to do with Khan’s fighting style, it’s different enough to make any difference when Khan faces Garcia again or takes on someone like Lucas Matthysse in the future. Those guys will knock Khan out just like they would have before Hunter began training him.

I see Khan’s new fighting style as a fail. If anything, it’s hurting him because he let Molina hang around a lot longer than he would have if he was unloading on him with more flurries. If Khan has to fight longer fights he’s going to be there to get hit a lot more, and that’s not a good thing with his chin.