BoxRec

I liked the way Scott Harrison's career developed, that was an excellent and aggressive progression to world level, whilst still being sensible. He started off at about 19 years of age, had 19 competitive and interesting fights gradually raising the opposition over a 5 or 6 period, including domestic titles. He was fully prepared for fight 20 against Chacon for the WBO title. Khan is more naturally talented, so maybe he can clip a year or two off that, but I don't see any sense rushing him much faster.

I have no problem with Khan having learning fights, but fighting super feathers is no good. He should at least be fighting guys similar in size but obviously not in ability.

They can ease him in gently I just dont want to see him fighting nothing but little guys for a couple of years like they did with Mitchell.

Loynesy wrote:James - don't make the mistake of thinking that everyone who posts on here actually understands how a pro fighter's career evolves.

At the moment, there are at least 50 lightweights that would knock Khan out. That is no criticism, just a recognition of how tough the sport is at elite level.

i know exactly how a pro fighter's career evolves, or should evolve. An ideal current example is Miguel Cotto. That's skillful matchmaking Frank could learn from.

But we've seen capable recent olympic medallists moved along quicker, lewis, DLH, hell even david reid, who was a world title holder within 2 years of going pro.

I say Khan should have 4-5 more fights against tough journeymen, then 3 or 4 'competitive' domestic matchups before winning the british title, then a couple of ranked europeans before a shot at the euro title, after which he can be unleashed on the world stage.

Someone tell me why he needs to bloat his career much more than that, with his skill level as it is.

One thing I do find interesting is the comparatively much quicker development of the best talents in the US. Floyd Mayweather for example was ready for a world title in 2 years, and genuinely ready, not just fighting for one. Is it the quality of sparring and training over there, or are they just less cautious?

I just hope Khan takes his time and gains experience before rushing into fights he's not ready for.

I will re-iterate this, I thought he looked the bollies for an 18 year old debutant on Saturday. I was very encouraged, and until something says otherwise I'm hoping for good things.

The list is great with boxers who progress further quicker.

There is no reason for Amir to do this, but for goodness sake dont make him top of the bill fighting no hopers with no competion in the fight what so ever.
Its even worse trying to make thier record look great with comments of they have never been stopped and undefeated! Building them up is what a promoter does, but even the general public will catch on & lose interest.

Richie Woodhall was fighting for the Commonwealth middleweight title in his 9th fight when he had only been pro for a year and a half!

You cant help mention Harrison because he has gone the road we dont want Khan to go.

Do you remember George Collins?

He had 78 amateur fights, won 77 and was one of the best amateurs of the 1980s. Collins failed and was finished by the age of 22.

Do you know who was his Promoter?

You cant blame people not having faith in FW either. He has made some cracking fights.

Hatton V Kostya
Williams V Tyson
Williams V Klit

But what a wait we always have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a serious note when Khan mentioned wanting to be a world champion by 21 do you think he means a geniune one or is a WBU/WBF paper title on the cards? I think he will eventually progress onto challenging for a major belt but i mean in regards to this whole "youngest world champion" thing.

steve689 wrote:On a serious note when Khan mentioned wanting to be a world champion by 21 do you think he means a geniune one or is a WBU/WBF paper title on the cards? I think he will eventually progress onto challenging for a major belt but i mean in regards to this whole "youngest world champion" thing.

Who knows, like most 18 year old lads he is entitled to talk a certain amount of tosh now and again I guess. I noted with interest Frank W's silence when the subject was discussed the other day, so I'm sure he isn't worried about meeting that particular deadline!

On the subject of Khan i got into an argument with a twat in the pub after the Khan fight who claimed "How can Khan be a pro when he is only doing 4 rounds"...i tried to put my point across that 12 rounds in a sport like Boxing is a tad dangerous on his pro debut but the idiot was having none of it. We all know the sort...making outragous statements like "I never rated that Lennox Lewis, he was scared of Tyson" etc etc zzzzzzz

steve689 wrote:On the subject of Khan i got into an argument with a twat in the pub after the Khan fight who claimed "How can Khan be a pro when he is only doing 4 rounds"...i tried to put my point across that 12 rounds in a sport like Boxing is a tad dangerous on his pro debut but the idiot was having none of it. We all know the sort...making outragous statements like "I never rated that Lennox Lewis, he was scared of Tyson" etc etc zzzzzzz

You should have him the URL of the "Current Scene"....

Riddick Blowe wrote:Point is, Hatton should have been moved along MUCH quicker, and being the draw that he is he didn't even need that godawful WBU tag.

No doubt Khan will go the same laboured route, earning Frank more criticism and sullying British boxing further over the atlantic.

but hatton missed out on true am quality oppo, he was brought along slowly in the pro ranks rather than leave him in the ams for another 3 years fighting world class am opposition.

Wales wrote:but hatton missed out on true am quality oppo, he was brought along slowly in the pro ranks rather than leave him in the ams for another 3 years fighting world class am opposition.

Problem is, aside from his Olympic odyssey young Amir has precious little senior amateur experience to draw on either.

Hesketh Vampire wrote:

steve689 wrote:On the subject of Khan i got into an argument with a twat in the pub after the Khan fight who claimed "How can Khan be a pro when he is only doing 4 rounds"...i tried to put my point across that 12 rounds in a sport like Boxing is a tad dangerous on his pro debut but the idiot was having none of it. We all know the sort...making outragous statements like "I never rated that Lennox Lewis, he was scared of Tyson" etc etc zzzzzzz

You should have him the URL of the "Current Scene"....

Hahahaha, excellent...

This from bbc, allegedly

"I want to keep Amir busy so that he can develop. Hopefully in about 18 months, he'll be going in for a title - not a world title, but some sort of belt."

Enter WBU reign. Also, apparently Frank's idea of keeping a novice busy is 2 months between fights.

Riddick Blowe wrote:Also, apparently Frank's idea of keeping a novice busy is 2 months between fights.

You have to presume he'll only be on big cards - ie. Calzaghe, Hatton, maybe the odd Harrison or Skelton - all those combined could be only 4 or 5 a year.

If it won't be a 'world' belt then surely we won't have a WBU thing going on. At the same time, I somehow don't see Khan being put through the Brit/Comm/EBU route.

I just remembered something. Im not sure if its still like that, be it use to be that boxers under 21 cant fight for EBU belts, so that route is out for the next 3 years.

Freiheit wrote:I just remembered something. Im not sure if its still like that, be it use to be that boxers under 21 cant fight for EBU belts, so that route is out for the next 3 years.

That route is out anyway, sadly British promoters have very little interest in their better prospects holding EBU titles theses days. I think the reason was summed up very openly by Frank Maloney when his charge Damean Kelly gave up his EBU title for a tinpot world title - Maloney said that basically the EBU title meant regular mandatory challengers who were usually awkward and difficult opponents. Much easier to get a WBU or IBO title and pick and choose your opponets to look good against.

Hesketh Vampire wrote:[the EBU title meant regular mandatory challengers who were usually awkward and difficult opponents.

Quite agree Frank, a horrible situation for any promising boxer to be in.

jomothepure wrote:

Hesketh Vampire wrote:[the EBU title meant regular mandatory challengers who were usually awkward and difficult opponents.

Quite agree Frank, a horrible situation for any promising boxer to be in.

Sadly it's true though, that is the reason they don't want that blue belt - far too many tall, awkward Russians out there.

Without wanting to turn this into an Audley Harrison thread, I think one of the main frustrations with Harrison's career has been the slow pace and long gap between fights (yes I know he got injured!). If Khan does have 15-20 fights against lesser mortals I don't think people will mind so long as that part of the record is concluded within 24 to 30 months. It's when it drags on for 5 years that we get tetchy.

Yeah, I agree with that. Its not the quality of his first opponents, but the fact that he has taken 5 years to have less then twenty fights. I know his injuries haven't helped, but I think he had time to make a real impact even when he debuted at 29. Now, I fear the time is slipping away.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:It's exactly what most big name fighters have done, they fight stiffs until they've learnt enought to make them a well rounded fighter so they can cash in.

But this is the British way, look to the USA Olympic medal winners, and how many nonsence fights do they have in the beginning.

Khan has lots of amateur experience, and a silver at the Olympics to prove he can hold his own at senior level.

This is about selling tickets and Amir does that very well just like Hatton, he too will be kept on a short lead.

How short peoples memory`s are, was it really that long ago there was a hint of Hatton leaving FW because he felt he was stagnating like Calzaghe so obviously has.
Calzaghe too had a good title win against Eubank, his future looked bright...what has he done since