Khan sets heart on Rees showdown

Chambers2 · Post by **Chambers2** » 20 Mar 2008, 13:19

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7305747.stm

I was really hoping Khan was going to take on some of the BIG boys at lightweight (Diaz, Diaz, Diaz, Katsidis, Casamayor, Campbell) but it looks like Khan wants ANY (the easiest) world title asap and it looks as though Rees and Khan have had their orders from allegedly to build this into a grudge match

Khan obviously wants to go down in the record books as the youngest Brit to win a world title, but he's going the 'Smoke and Mirrors' route to it, I don't suppose many will remember that when they read his name in the record books 20 years down the line.

Other than Earl (who looked way way past his best) Khan has got to a world title shot without a decent name on his record. He's 1/50 to beat the Dane in what was supposedly an eliminator for the WBO Lightweight title which Nate Campbell now has (possible FW didn't feel confident of delivering that fight in time for Khan to beat Naz's 'record;).

tbh I'll be glad when Khans past the age that Naz won his world title so that he can get on with a proper career. I'm a fan of Khans and want him to do well, because he's an excellent talent, but I don't like the 'Path of Least Resistance' route that he's taking. He should take a leaf out of his stablemate Jamie Moores books

(sorry to be negative)

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 20 Mar 2008, 14:01

Rees has to beat Kotelnik first, I am not convinced he can. Tough to tell how good he really is as M'Baye was abysmal when they fought. I have a feeling Kotelnik will know too much for him though, he looked pretty sharp at times against Witter. And Witter is levels above Rees.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 20 Mar 2008, 14:13

If Kotelnik wins fo you reckon they'll fancy facing him? Yes he's technically very good but does nothing outstanding and doesn't have much power. Plus if Mbaiye can beat Kotelnik twice you'd fancy Khan to pull threw too

I think they'll also take a close look at the Katsidis-Cazamaya fight to see how bad the winner looks.

sweetscience · Post by **sweetscience** » 20 Mar 2008, 14:57

i can only see khan fightin rees in his first LWW fight, i cant see him steping up in weight for anybody

Spud · Post by **Spud** » 20 Mar 2008, 15:23

nickd wrote:Rees has to beat Kotelnik first, I am not convinced he can. Tough to tell how good he really is as M'Baye was abysmal when they fought. I have a feeling Kotelnik will know too much for him though, he looked pretty sharp at times against Witter. And Witter is levels above Rees.

Completely agreed.

As for Khan v Rees - I have Khan winning that one too - problem is I don't want Khan getting to world champion status too soon - once you get there - there are no easy fights.

Khan is improving - but is he really at world level already?

whatashambles · Post by **whatashambles** » 20 Mar 2008, 15:58

As for Khan v Rees - I have Khan winning that one too - problem is I don't want Khan getting to world champion status too soon - once you get there - there are no easy fights.

Well Maccarinelli got a fair few easy fights against Bobby Gunn and Azzaoui. I'm sure Warren wouldn't let him go in there with anyone too good. Look at Light Welter anyway. There ain't much there apart from the other champions and Hatton and I doubt he'd be put in with any of those.

Ally-M1 · Post by **Ally-M1** » 20 Mar 2008, 17:23

Despite my best efforts, I can't see Rees holding the title for any length of time... In the event he gets past Kotelnik (and that's no shoe in) I think his luck would run out against Khan...

I just don't believe Rees to be World Class, WBA Title or no WBA Title...

But hey, I've been wrong before!

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 20 Mar 2008, 17:42

I fancy Kotelnik to do the business. Expect Rees to start better and Kotelnik to take over mid rounds. He is a slow starter but a solid finisher. Rees does have good stamina for a jelly baby mind you.

whicker · Post by **whicker** » 20 Mar 2008, 18:19

If Rees DOES beat Kotelnik, it means that Rees is good enough to beat a talented Light-Welter, which will make the fight against Khan an enormous risk for Khan- and that ain't going to happenen.

If Khan is moving up from Lightweight, I'm sure that they will find someone much more "beatable" for him at Light Welter.

If Rees loses on Saturday, he drops off the radar. He certainly isn't going to get to face Khan without a title being at stake

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 21 Mar 2008, 09:48

whicker wrote:If Rees DOES beat Kotelnik, it means that Rees is good enough to beat a talented Light-Welter, which will make the fight against Khan an enormous risk for Khan- and that ain't going to happenen.

If Khan is moving up from Lightweight, I'm sure that they will find someone much more "beatable" for him at Light Welter.

If Rees loses on Saturday, he drops off the radar. He certainly isn't going to get to face Khan without a title being at stake

Who exactly is more beatable than Rees at championship level right now?

If Rees wins it will happen. By far the easiest route to the world title Khan craves.

Quick question someone may be able to answer - did Rees v Kotelnik get as far as purse bids or did Warren make them an offer? Was wondering if Warren might have lined up a shot for Khan if Kotelnik beats Rees?

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 21 Mar 2008, 10:31

If Rees wins, it's very possible Khan will go this way. The gimmick of having a world title at such a young age etc...great marketing tool. And the fact that Khan is looking very big at lightweight, as if he needs to fill out.

Up at 140, it is one of the ugliest divisions you'll ever see. If Hatton and Malignaggi were quiet types, the division would get no attention. Even my choice as the best at the weight - Witter - is a southpaw who can go into negative mode if he isn't banging fighters out. Hatton's style doesn't seem to work so well at world level and...well, the division needs a new injection.

If Khan gets a fight with and beats Rees, will there actually be anyone threatening coming through? The annual Kotelnik mandatory? A fading M'Baye? Maybe Anthony Peterson, I suppose.

Anyway, Khan is fighting the WBO#2 at lightweight so we can't rule out that route yet. What if Nate Campbell vacates, or even comes over here?

WBO lightweight or WBA light welterweight. I suppose it's nice for them to have a couple of options.

whicker · Post by **whicker** » 21 Mar 2008, 10:35

nickd wrote:
Who exactly is more beatable than Rees at championship level right now?

If Rees wins it will happen. By far the easiest route to the world title Khan craves.

But at a weight ABOVE the weight Khan is fighting at now? Also, for this match to be a possibility, we are talking about a Rees who has beaten Kotelnik. IE he might be better than we think.

For sure, it would be a good fight, but to be honest I can't see it happening.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 21 Mar 2008, 11:38

Gavin Rees guns for his boxing future tomorrow night in Cardiff. The WBA light-welterweight champion faces mandatory challenger Andreas Kotelnik knowing victory could secure marquee domestic fights with Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton or even Junior Witter and knowing defeat would be awfully hard to come back from at this level.
Rees won the WBA belt from tall Frenchman Souleymane MBaye in a huge upset last year in Cardiff. The unbeaten Welshman made a daunting assignment look easy as he boxed a bit, punched a bit, built up a big early lead and hung on in the closing stages to take a unanimous verdict. His cool, smart approach belied a lack of familiarity at world level going in; a stocky, aggressive-looking build. (At the end of the first round, arms resting on the ropes, Rees turned and accidentally spat some water on a TV man holding a mic and then apologised sincerely - all the confidence in the world, after just three minutes.)
Although Rees holds a major world title, the Newbridge thumper has failed to secure many headlines in this depressingly non-boxing age. A unification showdown with WBC champion Witter would probably barely raise a few lines in the tabloids. Witter continues to call out Hatton (on websites) in an attempt to change such a situation; Rees needs to beat Kotelnik to achieve something similar, which is a lot easier said than done.
The Ukrainian pushed Witter to a desperately close decision three years ago in Nottingham and looked desperately unlucky to share a draw with MBaye in Liverpool for the same WBA title just prior to Rees winning the title. A former Olympic silver medallist (shades of Khan, and Kotelnik also lost to Mario Kindelan in the final), Kotelnik had previously been robbed in another 12-rounder with MBaye in Paris and will see himself as the uncrowned champion. The Liverpool crowd certainly backed the solid, correct, busy little challenger, cheering him from the ring. His trainer, Michael Timm, remained in the ring and looked like the loneliest man in the world until Board man Rob Smith came over, consoled him and led him out.
In an ideal world, Kotelnik deserves to be crowned world champion tomnorrow night. But life is never the perfect package. In front of his own fans at the same International Arena where he won the title, the quick, clever, strong, bustling Rees is going to be awfully tough to beat. Make no mistake, Rees is a better fighter than a lot of people seem to believe.