If Khan loses........

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 08 Dec 2007, 07:51

Khan SHOULD win this one. He is not a mug.

You don't win Olympic silver in the fashion this boy did, and become a mug after two years.

yiddo14 · Post by **yiddo14** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:00

21 year old's aren't finished after one loss fella's!

I don't think he is losing tonight anyway.

I have a feeling this is the fight that will make a lot of people stop and think about Khan.
I have a feeling he is going to do a number on Earl.

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:13

bennie wrote:As Graham Earl launches into another Normandy Landing, you wonder how many battles one soldier of fortune can survive. The stumpy Luton fighter (and Luton is a battleground itself) is addicted to winning the hard way, so it came as no surprise when his loss to Michael "Rocky" Katsidis 10 months ago was a particularly brutal one. Graham wins the hard way; he loses the hard way.
Earl was dumped three times by the Aussie powerhouse at Wembley last February but dragged himself up each time and found a big right to drop Katsidis back in a momentous round two - just after his corner had thrown in the towel (a gesture of surrender referees do NOT have to accept, and sprightly Micky Vann tossed the towel into the crowd). And for the most part it was Katsidis dishing out punishment. Severe punishment. Earl's corner finally convinced the ref to accept their retirement at the end of the fifth, although Earl wanted no part of it and shed men in disgust afterwards (notably trainer Johnny Eames, for the little-known Jimmy Turner).
Soldiers die on the battlefield, not in the trenches.
Graham hasn't fought since; consequently, he goes into this a big betting outsider. Khan is the birthday boy on the night (21), the boy growing into the man, the man who showed he was all fighter against Willie Limond, the fighter in his own fighting arena.
Earl, meanwhile, is nothing if not battle-worn.
Yuri Romanov, the current European lightweight champ, had destroyed a host of British fighters when Earl walked into his biggest punches last year and ground out a 12-round decision - he outwilled the feared Belarussian.
Steve Murray, the Harlow Hammer, was a prodigious puncher who virtually decapitated opponents until Earl pushed him back and banged out two thrilling stoppages - he beat Murray at his own game.
Bobby Vanzie, the British champ from Bradford, had never lost to a British opponent, but Earl marched through his early onslaughts and kept on coming to snatch a decision - he drew the viper's venom.
There were other miracles.
Earl came from a mile behind to stop Hartlepool's Kevin Bennett in the ninth round of another unforgettable fight, survived a badly busted thumb to edge out Londoner Jon Honney, looked desperately lucky to get the nod over Vanzie in a rematch and barely outscored Argentina's prickly Angel Ramirez in a bloody and gruelling 12-rounder at York Hall two fights ago - Ramirez couldn't miss him at times. He possesses "a defence that can leave his fans hiding behind their sofas." (Iain Axon.)
Then came the savage Katsidis beating.
But the fact remains, Earl has lost only to clever Scot Ricky Burns, who outscored him in an eight-rounder in 2005, and the world class Katsidis as a pro. OK, Katsidis outgunned him but Earl concedes a classic to a monster and suddenly he's damaged goods, 'shot', a 'gimmee'. It may not pan out that way.
You could argue he is Europe's No. 1 lightweight, given his win over Romanov (non-title) - just as you could argue Khan's Commonwealth belt is still his. Earl relinquished the belt he won from Bennett. Glasgow joiner Limond scooped it up with a decision over Ghana's Kpapko Allotey at a soulless Kelvin Hall last year and then smashed Khan to the canvas in his first defence in London in the summer, before Khan, obviously close to defeat, rallied spectacularly and smashed Limond to the floor in return, and the Scot retired on his stool at the end of the eighth, his face a bloody mess, his eardrum perforated for the umpteenth time.
But Earl never lost the belt in the ring.
The 29-year-old always said he wanted to take the conventional route to world level. He won the British and Commonwealth titles and was 12 days from challenging then European lightweight champion Juan Carlos Diaz Melero last year at Crystal Palace, when the Spaniard cried injury. Earl does hold that hot decision over current holder Romanov (who flattened Melero for the title) and did indeed make it to world level against unbeaten Katsidis, but now it's back to the domestic front. The kids.
Mmmm. A nine-fight Burns showed Earl (a demotivated Earl) could be outsped, outboxed and outpointed.
So those with no fear can make a mockery of experience (and smarmy football pundits), and Khan was all of 10 when Earl turned pro in 1997. The Bolton boy showed he had grown from the Limond struggle with an emphatic four-round stoppage of Stoke's outgunned Scott Lawton in the first defence of his Commonwealth title in Nottingham two months ago, a nice little performance and warm-up. Khan used his handspeed to pick off Lawton, who had gone seven rounds with reigning British lightweight champion Jon Thaxton, before forcing the stoppage with a dozen unanswered punches, including five uppercuts. There was more composure to the champion's work and he seemed to be sitting down more on his punches. But the fight was too one-sided to judge if his defence had improved in the wake of Limond. As for his chin, Khan was facing a notorious light-hitter (only four stoppage wins) - again, impossible to judge. Enter Earl.
Solid and strong and with the grit and stamina to plough through the kind of punches Lawton couldn't handle, Earl will look to test 14-fight Khan in every department. The challenger can whack a bit and is seen as a better fighter than the brave and educated Limond, which makes it doubly interesting. Khan went down in his first 10-rounder (against Frenchman Rachid Drilzane) and first 12-rounder (against Limond).
The last thing they lose is their punch.
In terms of style, Graham rumbles forward behind a good jab and dishes it out with short hooks to head and body. He has a penchant for outlasting opponents - gone eight rounds or more 11 times in his career to date (Khan, just twice). But he struggles with quick counterpunchers in the Khan mould - think of the lanky and tricky Burns, slippery Vanzie or classy Bennett (who floored and nearly stopped him) - and has been out since Katsidis 10 months ago.
On top of everything, he will be rusty.
So the scene is set, as boxer meets fighter, youth meets experience, the man on the way up meets the man at Last Chance Saloon, glitter meets grit. Young, flashy and unbeaten, Khan talks of "retiring" Earl and we can expect him to come out blazing tonight, given Earl's notorious slow start. But if Graham gets through the early stages (and has something left), his experience could tell. Make no mistake, he is the best opponent Khan has faced as a pro. An upset is not out of the question.
But I have a feeling Earl has gone to the well too often. The bigger, sharper, faster, fresher, better-boxing Khan, on home turf, on his birthday, comes through.

Agree or disagree, this is a brilliant post with lots of anylistic detail - Very professionally written putting forward well balanced arguements, just superb.

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:20

why the f**k is this fight not on ITV1????????????????????

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:21

DG. wrote:Depends how he loses, if its a AH/SPROTT KO - he is done!

Yes it does, and I can only see Earl winning by KO, so where would that leave him if it happened?

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:27

Southpaw Stylist wrote:Khan SHOULD win this one. He is not a mug.

You don't win Olympic silver in the fashion this boy did, and become a mug after two years.

Thats why there was so much expectation for AH getting gold, but he couldnt prove himself as a pro when he fought decent opposition.

sweetscience · Post by **sweetscience** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:35

Riddick Blowe wrote:why the f**k is this fight not on ITV1????????????????????

it is

9.55

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:36

yiddo14 wrote:21 year old's aren't finished after one loss fella's!

I don't think he is losing tonight anyway.

I have a feeling this is the fight that will make a lot of people stop and think about Khan.
I have a feeling he is going to do a number on Earl.

Normal 21 year olds can try again but Khan is no normal 21 year old - The media have made him a star and he is expected to keep winning on his way to a title - We know a loss can be good for a fighter, Haye is a good example of that but how will the general public view a loss at British level.

KO Artist · Post by **KO Artist** » 08 Dec 2007, 08:38

WildWaylon wrote:
bennie wrote:As Graham Earl launches into another Normandy Landing, you wonder how many battles one soldier of fortune can survive. The stumpy Luton fighter (and Luton is a battleground itself) is addicted to winning the hard way, so it came as no surprise when his loss to Michael "Rocky" Katsidis 10 months ago was a particularly brutal one. Graham wins the hard way; he loses the hard way.
Earl was dumped three times by the Aussie powerhouse at Wembley last February but dragged himself up each time and found a big right to drop Katsidis back in a momentous round two - just after his corner had thrown in the towel (a gesture of surrender referees do NOT have to accept, and sprightly Micky Vann tossed the towel into the crowd). And for the most part it was Katsidis dishing out punishment. Severe punishment. Earl's corner finally convinced the ref to accept their retirement at the end of the fifth, although Earl wanted no part of it and shed men in disgust afterwards (notably trainer Johnny Eames, for the little-known Jimmy Turner).
Soldiers die on the battlefield, not in the trenches.
Graham hasn't fought since; consequently, he goes into this a big betting outsider. Khan is the birthday boy on the night (21), the boy growing into the man, the man who showed he was all fighter against Willie Limond, the fighter in his own fighting arena.
Earl, meanwhile, is nothing if not battle-worn.
Yuri Romanov, the current European lightweight champ, had destroyed a host of British fighters when Earl walked into his biggest punches last year and ground out a 12-round decision - he outwilled the feared Belarussian.
Steve Murray, the Harlow Hammer, was a prodigious puncher who virtually decapitated opponents until Earl pushed him back and banged out two thrilling stoppages - he beat Murray at his own game.
Bobby Vanzie, the British champ from Bradford, had never lost to a British opponent, but Earl marched through his early onslaughts and kept on coming to snatch a decision - he drew the viper's venom.
There were other miracles.
Earl came from a mile behind to stop Hartlepool's Kevin Bennett in the ninth round of another unforgettable fight, survived a badly busted thumb to edge out Londoner Jon Honney, looked desperately lucky to get the nod over Vanzie in a rematch and barely outscored Argentina's prickly Angel Ramirez in a bloody and gruelling 12-rounder at York Hall two fights ago - Ramirez couldn't miss him at times. He possesses "a defence that can leave his fans hiding behind their sofas." (Iain Axon.)
Then came the savage Katsidis beating.
But the fact remains, Earl has lost only to clever Scot Ricky Burns, who outscored him in an eight-rounder in 2005, and the world class Katsidis as a pro. OK, Katsidis outgunned him but Earl concedes a classic to a monster and suddenly he's damaged goods, 'shot', a 'gimmee'. It may not pan out that way.
You could argue he is Europe's No. 1 lightweight, given his win over Romanov (non-title) - just as you could argue Khan's Commonwealth belt is still his. Earl relinquished the belt he won from Bennett. Glasgow joiner Limond scooped it up with a decision over Ghana's Kpapko Allotey at a soulless Kelvin Hall last year and then smashed Khan to the canvas in his first defence in London in the summer, before Khan, obviously close to defeat, rallied spectacularly and smashed Limond to the floor in return, and the Scot retired on his stool at the end of the eighth, his face a bloody mess, his eardrum perforated for the umpteenth time.
But Earl never lost the belt in the ring.
The 29-year-old always said he wanted to take the conventional route to world level. He won the British and Commonwealth titles and was 12 days from challenging then European lightweight champion Juan Carlos Diaz Melero last year at Crystal Palace, when the Spaniard cried injury. Earl does hold that hot decision over current holder Romanov (who flattened Melero for the title) and did indeed make it to world level against unbeaten Katsidis, but now it's back to the domestic front. The kids.
Mmmm. A nine-fight Burns showed Earl (a demotivated Earl) could be outsped, outboxed and outpointed.
So those with no fear can make a mockery of experience (and smarmy football pundits), and Khan was all of 10 when Earl turned pro in 1997. The Bolton boy showed he had grown from the Limond struggle with an emphatic four-round stoppage of Stoke's outgunned Scott Lawton in the first defence of his Commonwealth title in Nottingham two months ago, a nice little performance and warm-up. Khan used his handspeed to pick off Lawton, who had gone seven rounds with reigning British lightweight champion Jon Thaxton, before forcing the stoppage with a dozen unanswered punches, including five uppercuts. There was more composure to the champion's work and he seemed to be sitting down more on his punches. But the fight was too one-sided to judge if his defence had improved in the wake of Limond. As for his chin, Khan was facing a notorious light-hitter (only four stoppage wins) - again, impossible to judge. Enter Earl.
Solid and strong and with the grit and stamina to plough through the kind of punches Lawton couldn't handle, Earl will look to test 14-fight Khan in every department. The challenger can whack a bit and is seen as a better fighter than the brave and educated Limond, which makes it doubly interesting. Khan went down in his first 10-rounder (against Frenchman Rachid Drilzane) and first 12-rounder (against Limond).
The last thing they lose is their punch.
In terms of style, Graham rumbles forward behind a good jab and dishes it out with short hooks to head and body. He has a penchant for outlasting opponents - gone eight rounds or more 11 times in his career to date (Khan, just twice). But he struggles with quick counterpunchers in the Khan mould - think of the lanky and tricky Burns, slippery Vanzie or classy Bennett (who floored and nearly stopped him) - and has been out since Katsidis 10 months ago.
On top of everything, he will be rusty.
So the scene is set, as boxer meets fighter, youth meets experience, the man on the way up meets the man at Last Chance Saloon, glitter meets grit. Young, flashy and unbeaten, Khan talks of "retiring" Earl and we can expect him to come out blazing tonight, given Earl's notorious slow start. But if Graham gets through the early stages (and has something left), his experience could tell. Make no mistake, he is the best opponent Khan has faced as a pro. An upset is not out of the question.
But I have a feeling Earl has gone to the well too often. The bigger, sharper, faster, fresher, better-boxing Khan, on home turf, on his birthday, comes through.
Agree or disagree, this is a brilliant post with lots of anylistic detail - Very professionally written putting forward well balanced arguements, just superb.

Yes, as usual, high quality stuff from Bennie. Thanks mate.

I think the danger for Khan is that he can get a bit riled and get drawn into a scrap. When he does this his chin goes up in the air and his gloves down, he also stops moving from side to side.

Khan could win a comforable decision by sticking to his boxing. Just like say a very young Ken Buchanan would have.

But I get the feling that there is a bit of needle here and there could be some fireworks.

If Khan boxes he has a chance of winning every round, but if he gets into a punch up he could throw it away, cause Earl could knock him out in a war.

Khan seems a bright lad, so he should use his brains and box.

For Earl to have any sucess I think he has got to let Khan take the lead and then counter with plenty of bobbing and weaving.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 08 Dec 2007, 09:06

LOL @ Khan being a bright lad.

He's as bright as a 40W lightbulb.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 08 Dec 2007, 10:12

Khan should win if he doesnt leave his chin out, but if he gets tagged, even by the shop worn Earl then who knows?.... its very worrying that Khan was so badly hurt by Limond who is such a light puncher....

Exoddus · Post by **Exoddus** » 08 Dec 2007, 14:07

Come on Earl

.

Anyone else think no more boxing on ITV if Khan gets beat?

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 08 Dec 2007, 14:14

Exoddus wrote:Come on Earl .

Anyone else think no more boxing on ITV if Khan gets beat?

If Khan loses this one there will definately be a rematch, its written into the contract for Khan, but not for Earl - ITV will want to show that, but if he was to lose again Khan and boxing on ITV would be axed.

banjo · Post by **banjo** » 08 Dec 2007, 14:24

WildWaylon wrote:
Exoddus wrote:Come on Earl .

Anyone else think no more boxing on ITV if Khan gets beat?
If Khan loses this one there will definately be a rematch, its written into the contract for Khan, but not for Earl - ITV will want to show that, but if he was to lose again Khan and boxing on ITV would be axed.

depends how he loses.

if hes brutally ko'd i doubt there will be a rematch

Asterix · Post by **Asterix** » 08 Dec 2007, 15:10

Southpaw Stylist wrote:LOL @ Khan being a bright lad.

He's as bright as a 40W lightbulb.

In fairness, unless you know him, you're in no place to judge. :)

Chambers2 · Post by **Chambers2** » 08 Dec 2007, 15:12

Southpaw Stylist wrote:LOL @ Khan being a bright lad.

He's as bright as a 40W lightbulb.

'Those in Glass houses.....' and all that

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 08 Dec 2007, 15:33

So are most going with a Khan victory now? That didn't seem to be the case after the Limmond fight. Back then it was as though all Earl had to do was touch him on the chin and it was game over. Has Khan gone on to prove his chin since or have a few people just calmed down a bit?

Can't wait for this one anyway, could be real fireworks. Khan might have to get off the floor to win, but win he will IMO.

chesh · Post by **chesh** » 08 Dec 2007, 17:24

WildWaylon wrote:
Exoddus wrote:Come on Earl .

Anyone else think no more boxing on ITV if Khan gets beat?
If Khan loses this one there will definately be a rematch, its written into the contract for Khan, but not for Earl - ITV will want to show that, but if he was to lose again Khan and boxing on ITV would be axed.

Regardless of what happens with Khan, I think it's clear that SN's future is on Setanta. If Khan does very well and lands a big world title fight, will ITV come up with the money? They didn't for Calzaghe-Kessler. It's a shame they haven't shown more commitment.

MecnunK · Post by **MecnunK** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:14

well it was disappointing ..

fist · Post by **fist** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:16

Khan looked unbeleivably strong and hugely accurate. Impressive.

Asterix · Post by **Asterix** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:17

If that won't shut up the Khan critics I don't know what will. He looked in fantastic shape, very powerful, just as fast. Great showing by Amir Khan.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:19

gotta be thaxton now.

tbf earl has seen better days and we kind of all knew that going in.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:20

Asterix wrote:If that won't shut up the Khan critics I don't know what will. He looked in fantastic shape, very powerful, just as fast. Great showing by Amir Khan.

Wait for the 'Earl was shot Khans chin still hasnt been tested, when it is he'll be ko'd blahblah.

Every boxer has weaknesses but Khan is growing into world class. Katsidis took how many rounds? And is talked about as a puncher. Khans a boxer and did him in 1. Boxing isnt so simple BUT WORLD CLASS

TOLD U ALL KHAN WILL HAVE JUAN DIAZ IN 2 YEARS

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 08 Dec 2007, 18:21

hitman_hatton1 wrote:gotta be thaxton now.

tbf earl has seen better days and we kind of all knew that going in.

See my above post

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 09 Dec 2007, 03:29

Chambers2 wrote:
Southpaw Stylist wrote:LOL @ Khan being a bright lad.

He's as bright as a 40W lightbulb.
'Those in Glass houses.....' and all that

Hardly son.