Weaknesses
Amir Khan
Peter Cziborra/Action Images
As a fighter Amir Khan has a few weaknesses, though I don’t imagine they will present much difficulty in this bout. Khan has a lot of heart, probably too much for his own good, and has paid the price for it on several occasions.
Chris Algieri doesn’t pose a threat power-wise, though Khan shouldn’t be so eager to knock Algieri out or to look for the perfect shot. This fight is about points, and not being busy enough could cost him a decision.
Khan has shown that while he’s athletically gifted, he isn’t always the smartest fighter. Because Algieri’s strength is boxing, I think in this fight we’re going to see how smart Amir Khan is. We’re also going to see how Khan deals with another fighter’s movement.
I imagine this is the only experience he can learn from in this fight to help him potentially face Mayweather. Though Hunter provides excellent coaching in the corner, we’ll have to see how well Amir Khan thinks independently when placed in a pure boxing match.
Chris Algieri
Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Chris Algieri having zero respectable power is a well-known fact in boxing. You could say it’s his Achilles’ heel. If Algieri also had power, he would probably be further ahead in his career than he is now.
The upside is that he can box. The downside is that it takes more than just being able to box when you face someone who also has boxing skill, speed, power, and aggression. In other words, to earn Amir Khan’s respect, Algieri needs to give him something to think about. He simply can’t accomplish this using his power (or lack thereof).
Khan can be outboxed, but nothing except respectable power and speed will keep him from coming forward. Once Khan feels out the little power Algieri has, he’ll recognize there is no threat and he can take the risks he needs to land shots or knock Algieri out.
Algieri has been able to recover from knockdowns quickly, but one good punch is all it takes to knock him out. Also, Algieri tends to move in roughly the same pattern around the ring. If Khan cuts off the ring effectively, Algieri’s main source of offense and defense will be taken away.
