British star Amir Khan once said he would retire at age 30. The former 140-pound king hits 30 this December, yet Khan has plenty of big plans for next year. Speaking with ESPN.com, Khan said he feels he has “about five fights left,” and that he will look to return to action next summer. Khan will have been out of action for over a year by next May – last fighting on May 7 of this year when he was brutally KO’d by the much bigger Canelo Alvarez – but he says he wants a big showdown with either Danny Garcia or Kell Brook next summer. And Khan wants his return to take place in the UK.
“I’ve got about five fights left. I’m going back down to welterweight,” Khan, 31-4(19) said. “I’ll box again in the summer and I want to give the UK fans a fight – it’s been a while since I boxed there, and they deserve one. Hopefully, it will be Garcia or Brook. My right hand is getting better and I’m feeling really good that I’ve had the operation. If the [Brook] deal is right I will do it. I know what that fight can generate. I have got to get what I need to get paid. It’s the biggest fight left for both of us. The winner of me and Brook would go on to fight Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. I think Mayweather will come back for one more.”
Khan has clearly come out with thoughts on quite a number of subjects. Where to start in breaking them down?
Firstly, Khan is almost certain not to get a Garcia fight next summer, much less in the UK. Garcia is scheduled to face Keith Thurman in a massive unification fight in March, and even if Garcia did win that fight, would he really want a rematch with a man he has already beaten by KO? The Khan-Brook clash that British fans have been wanting to see for some time now looks more likely. Brook, we know, wants the fight badly, now Khan realises that, as he said, it’s the best remaining big fight for the pair of them – both coming off KO defeats as they are.
Can the fight at last be made? As for the winner of the possible match-up going on to fight either Pac-Man or “Money,” well, stranger things have happened. Khan has been chasing a super-fight with both mega stars for many months, but would a win over Brook really get him what he wants? Most fans would doubt it.
Khan though, is excited about fighting with his “new” right hand. Finally fixed after many years when he was only able to use it at around “30 or 40-percent,” Khan says his repaired right hand will serve him well.
“Not throwing a proper right hand and holding back hasn’t been good for my career,” Khan said. “I’ve hesitated in getting the right hand out sometimes, and that’s maybe why I’ve been caught by left hooks.”
Most fans agree: Khan will need a good defence if he’s to defeat Brook. Let’s hope this British super-fight finally gets made.