Khan should keep boxing, but lose the excuses

[Captain Hook]

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/b ... -31433586/

[Adamj1987]

Excuses are unexcuseable

[Captain Hook]

Now you're just making excuses...

[Captain Hook]

PS I realise Khan's defence is still the weakest part of his arsenal, but it did improve under Roach.. better than it had been previously up until this loss, where he seemed to lose focus and want to prove something.

[chesh]

Good article, Captain.

[freddydoesdallas]

It seems that you're trying to put all of the critics of Khan into a certain group by saying

Boxing forums have been rife with insults and abuse in past days and that always makes my skin crawl.

before going into saying Hamed had the same abuse.

Later in the article though, i think Khan shows why he has critics

“Well done to Danny Garcia on his performance, but I promise I’ll bounce back stronger than ever as I look to regain my spot at the top of the 140lb division.”

Being the highest paid fighter in the division does not make you the number 1. Much like John Terry is not the best defender in world football because he's the highest paid. To be the best, you have to beat the best which he has not yet done. He has beaten some (and lost to) good level opponents at 140 but not the best.

As a whole, i enjoyed the article as I agree that he needs to cut the excuses and really address his weaknesses but there does seem to be a constant association to those who criticise Khan having right wing tendencies.

[Captain Hook]

Not in this article there doesn't.

I personally believe a large portion of his haters to so because of race, but another portion despise him for the same reasons they despised Calzaghe, Hamed and Hatton. Because they are perceived as arrogant and avoided the best in their divisions.

To be fair this has not been levelled at Khan as much as the others but what other reason than arrogance and race is there for wanting Khan to lose?

Because he wants to regain his place at the top (or near the top IMO) of the tree?

He can get back into the world mix but something has to change.

Did I read on another thread that there are rumours Dave Coldwell could be his next trainer. After Freddie Roach? No disrespect to Dave but that would be a crazy move.

[Captain Hook]

PS It "makes my skin crawl" because a large slice of UK fans revel in seeing our best fighters get beaten, nothing to do with race.

[Captain Hook]

PPS It was perceived C, H and H avoided the best in their divisions. A lot of that criticism was unfair but that is irrelevant to this topic... Khan.

[freddydoesdallas]

If that's what you've heard directly from people then i can't dispute that but all i can say is that i feel that the large majority of people i speak to and from what i read on here don't want Khan to lose or take great joy in seeing him get beat. They talk about his flaws as they do with most fighters but are quickly batted away as having an agenda.

I'm not saying that there are no people out there with stupid reasons for their dislike of Khan, I'm not naive but i do feel that you have to walk on eggshells when discussing Khan.

[freddydoesdallas]

PS It "makes my skin crawl" because a large slice of UK fans revel in seeing our best fighters get beaten, nothing to do with race.

That's fair enough then. It's a bit of an extreme term that you have used though and i'm sure many people will have read a bit more into it.

[Captain Hook]

I think the constant negativity towards some UK boxers - who happen to be the top UK boxers of this generation - is pretty horrifying.... if Calzaghe, Hatton, Khan and co were Mexican, Puerto Rican or American they would have received half the criticism and twice the adulation.

That said, there is a hint of racism with a section of Khan haters, as there was with Hamed, but that is not news.

[Captain Hook]

PS You make some good points... in my opinion if you just raise your argument in a fair way, or make your reason for criticism clear, then there is no stench to waft away.

[loaded_gloves]

But Hamed and Khan are deeply unlikeable human beings (Hamed moreso than Khan). Can you point to incidents of Calzaghe or Hatton driving over people on the wrong side of the road at 100mph?

Yes, Joe and Ricky also made big claims about being the best (and without positioning themselves as a divine entity & claiming it is God's Will ala Hamed) but for all the bums they faced Hatton did beat Tszyu. Calzaghe did beat Kessler. Barrera ran right through Hamed, and Khan, well, for all his jabbering he couldn't even pass the B class fighters without getting brutalised.

So, why pull the racecard?

(And to even suggest we should 'be more like the Mexicans' is a scary idea. Those fans seem to fiercely support and vehemently hate boxers based purely on their race. You're essentially encouraging racism as long as it's in favour of people from our country. Hey, if we want to be that backwards why don't we go back to good old fashioned beheadings and Trial by Ordeal?)

[Wales]

I see Enzo has thrown his hat in the ring to train khan now..

[Captain Hook]

loaded gloves - that post is so poor and wide of the mark I don't know where to begin, honestly. Frightening

[Captain Hook]

You have actually written "be more like Mexicans" in quote marks as if that's what I said, when I didn't.

I commented on how they revere their boxers, I didn't say we should be like them.

And have you ever met Khan or Hamed? You pulled the race card, I didn't.

[Captain Hook]

PS Surely Judah, Maidana, Malignaggi and co pass for B rate fighters at least?

[Bricks]

Khan for all his financial success has been a terrible disapointment as a pro when u consider at 17 with hardly any seniors amateur experience he won the Olympic silver medal.

Ideally in my mind from that point he would developed into a terrific counterpuncher, almost like a tommy hearns circa 87-88....even barry mcguigan said that about him in his first fight.....sadly what he has actually emerged as , as a pro, is a guy who fights an amateurish style, that is to say rushes in in a hurry, quick arm punching flurries, herky jerky bouncing in and out, wasting loads of energy....the punch power he had has almost regressed.......a constant obsession with celebrity and talking of being an A lister when he isnt anywhere near a pacquio, bradley,Mayweather ,JMM level.

His youthful exuberance and energy wont last beyond 28 but Im guessing Khan doesnt want to be around that long....

Dont get me wrong he has the heart of a lion, and terrific hand and footspeed....I just think he can be so so much better than he is right now......and that can only happen with a new trainer.

Steward would be a good bet but the same complaint Khan has about Roach would apply with Manny as he also trains the brothers but Steward could develop Khans punch power and get him to tighten up his defence learn how to fight stationary........in my minds eye Khan could have been a terrific stylist like a don curry , or mccallum fighting on the counter picking foes off with rapier like short punches.....instead of this lunging rushing in BS we have seen in all his losses. The Malignaggi fight was his best in my mind as he boxed controlled there.

[mickey1975]

Which Brothers? If you mean The Klitschko's, then Steward only trains Wlad.

[Bricks]

Well irrespective if Steward only trains Wladimir, thats still a big name fighter across the other side of the world . Steward/Wladimir/Khan...would be the same fit as Roach/Khan/Pacquiou thats not to say it couldnt be a good one.....but Khan might make the same complaints that he isnt getting the full attention of his trainer.

I do think overall Khan being with Roach has had its benefits but the downside has been encouraged to carry on with this style he has, which is similar to Pacquios but without the defensive nous, and power and chin.

[mickey1975]

Well irrespective if Steward only trains Wladimir, thats still a big name fighter across the other side of the world . Steward/Wladimir/Khan...would be the same fit as Roach/Khan/Pacquiou thats not to say it couldnt be a good one.....but Khan might make the same complaints that he isnt getting the full attention of his trainer.

I do think overall Khan being with Roach has had its benefits but the downside has been encouraged to carry on with this style he has, which is similar to Pacquios but without the defensive nous, and power and chin.

They train in Bavaria, which is a hell of a lot closer than America or Phillipines.