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Michael Collins: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KO’s) thinks he’s improved since his 4th round knockout loss to WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia last July. Khan faces Carlos Molina (17-0, 7 KO’s) this Saturday night in a make for break fight for Khan at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. Khan can’t lose this fight, and he probably won’t because Molina has been picked out special by his promoters so that he doesn’t have another slip up like he’d had in his last two fights against Garcia and Lamont Peterson.
Khan has a new trainer Virgil Hunter and he believes that he’s really improving under his guidance.
Khan said to Sky Sports News “I’m a better fighter [now] by far because I would not fight Garcia the way I did. I’ve changed my fighting style a lot and it proves I’m doing something right.”
It’s a normal response for fighters or people in general to look back at mistakes and want to do it different the next time around. However, that still doesn’t mean that Khan would get past a Garcia in a rematch because Garcia would make adjustments to Khan fighting in a more conservative manner by taking the fight to him with pressure and forcing him to fight for his life. That’s the problem. Hunter is teaching Khan all these things about fighting under control, using his jab more, avoiding getting into exchanges, but none of it will help him if he can’t take a hard shot by a fighter that pressures him and believe me they will. The blueprint is out on how to beat Khan and all fighters will be pressuring him to force him to either brawl or cover up.
Molina doesn’t have much power but he’s a pretty aggressive guy and he’s still unbeaten. If he can back Khan up to the ropes, Molina may have just enough power to get Khan out of there. Molina doesn’t need to be Julian Jackson to knock Khan out. All he needs to do is hit him hard and Khan’s chin may betray him again.
