Carlos-Wigan wrote:oliverfennell wrote:tyson wrote:Ok so instead of clearing up the domestic scene first john Murray would be better fighting Kevin Kelly , Johnny Tapia type opponent, same as wat khan did with Barrera he fought a past it fighter fighting out of his weight division . If murray done that and beat one of the above murray would now be classed a world class fighter for beating a fading overweight former world champion .lol
Correct, so what is your point?
It's all well and good us clued-up boxing fans saying we want this or that domestic fight, but you have to look at the bigger picture sometimes. Khan is known internationally, Murray isn't, and it's for exactly the reasons you pointed out. That's not to say Murray couldnt' be world class or a viable opponent for Khan, it's just saying that an international profile is worth a great deal, so I know why Khan has made the choices he has - and why they've worked for him.
Does anybody look at Bruno's career and say "but he didn't fight Mason or Notice"? Or does Naz lose rep for not meeting Brodie or any ageing McMillan? Even Benn is pretty much forgiven for not fighting Herol Graham, despite it being among the clearer examples of "ducking" a domestic rival. But bottom line, DeWitt, Barkley and McClellan trumps Graham, just as Barrera and Kotelnkik trumps Murray (and Thaxton, who people inexplicably still trot out as a fighter Khan avoided).
Excellent post Oliver.
Amir Khan gets too much grief - and we all know why.
Murray is a good fighter - as Autobarn (are you John Murrays dad?
) has stated - he has made progress to top domestic level standard whilst being pro - and that level has been attained quite recently - Khan has been about three levels above Murray all the time they have been professional. if they ever meet, I know who my money is on and it is on the boy from Bolton to win convincingly.
Its typical though - if Khan looked and acted like another light welterweight we all know - a pie guzzling, larger monster who produced a good punchline every so often, we would all be raving on about who great he is - and thats the truth.
I wonder what the yanks must have thought when they heard 10000 Brits booing one of their own at the Hatton - Pacquiao weigh in?
er no, i was saying how good murray was when everyone was dismissing him as an abysmal fighter.
the difference is khan gets opportunities cos of who he is - an olympic medallist who has the right british image and enough handspeed to be labelled as a "master boxer."
khan simply gets every opportunity. he could get splattered in his next fight, but he will get rebuilt/manufactured again. i suspect he's being paid way more than he is worth. we're seeing results now, but there is a certain amount of waste going on here, during a bad recession. when are we going to see the impressive PPV #s, the big crowds that are blacked out in large patches?
murray must be a bloody bargain, is all i can say. until now, he hasn't been the priority lightweight with his own promoter. there is a certain business context that gets ignored on these boards.
talk about levels all ye want. and classes. murray doesn't pick on the super feathers, does he? as i keep saying, hickman (wins over amar and mcallister?), mcallister, thaxton all campaigned at higher weights. this is impressive considering that murray went through these former light welters.
, he is so lucky that his mandatory is a load of s**te, i wonder how many will buy this farce on ppv.