Khan blasts 'disloyal' Harrison
Published: Thursday, 19 June 2008, 6:30PM
Amir Khan has launched a scathing attack on his former trainer Oliver Harrison after learning he has been helping prepare Michael Gomez ahead of their Commonwealth lightweight title clash in Birmingham on Saturday.
Khan and Harrison split two months ago in unhappy circumstances and Gomez has been a regular recent visitor to the Bolton star's old gym in Manchester, where Harrison has helped him with conditioning and tactics.
Khan, who has since linked up with Dean Powell, accused Harrison of disloyalty and said the trainer with whom he began his professional career had failed to bring him on at the speed he had hoped.
Khan said: "You definitely lose respect for a coach when that happens because it is only two months since he split with me. Top coaches would never do a thing like that so it shows what kind of person he is.
"But to have someone like Oliver telling Gomez tips is fine. I didn't learn anything from Oliver in the way of defence. There are things I'm working on with Dean now that I really should have done in my first five fights.
"At the end of the day, Oliver is a coach and he is allowed to coach anyone. But we will see how good a coach he is on Saturday night when Michael Gomez gets knocked out."
Gomez's training programme will add more spice to a contest that has already attracted 10,000 to the National Indoor Arena. Khan raised the bar yesterday by labelling Gomez an "idiot" for missing the pre-fight press conference.
Harrison was the Khan camp's first choice for his much-publicised professional bow and the pair initially appeared a tight unit. But the relationship unravelled in the wake of Khan's points win over Gairy St Clair in February.
Harrison was not available for comment, while neither Gomez nor his full-time trainer Bobby Rimmer were prepared to name the man Gomez has called his "mystery trainer" in the build-up to the fight.
Sources in the Harrison gym have confirmed Gomez has spent time working with Harrison as he looks to re-ignite his career by becoming the first man to defeat the Olympic silver medallist.
However, Khan has laughed off Gomez's chances, insisting: "I know how good I am and I know Michael Gomez is not going to beat me in a million years in that ring on Saturday night.
"It is laughable. Gomez can be as fit and prepared as he wants but with my power and speed and skills, he is not going to beat me. I am going to break him down big-time. I am in the best condition of my career."
I HOPE GOMEZ KNOCKS HIM OUT!