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Photo by Esther Lin
Amir Khan insists that he is completely focused on the fight with Devon Alexander and not on his chance to fight Floyd Mayweather, but I have learned to take anything Khan says with a cup of salt (still sparring with Andre Ward, hmm?). Maybe because he literally said, “This is definitely an audition, or a dress rehearsal for a fight with Mayweather” (via BoxingScene.com)
He even gave up cake on his birthday (cake!) because his dream fight with Mayweather is almost in his clutches. Khan said he doesn’t want to be happy and enjoy things leading up to the fight. If being depressed and not eating cake on your birthday doesn’t qualify you to beat Mayweather, I don’t know what does.
He went on to (via The Guardian), “Now I’m the main attraction at the MGM, the main arena in Vegas. It will be the opportunity to imagine what it will be like when I’m up against Floyd Mayweather, the biggest fight of my career. The big time was my dream, to be on the Vegas strip with big posters of me. I’ve obviously fought in Vegas before, but this fight just has something more special.”
Ignoring the fact that most world title fights are a “main attraction” in Vegas, on the inside I’m yelling, “Khan, stop trying to make Floyd happen, it’s not going to happen!” It’s not Khan’s ambition that’s worrisome—most fighters want a shot at Floyd—it’s his lack of focus on the guy in front of him. Instead of speaking about Mayweather as if the fight is already scheduled, he should be zoning in on Alexander.
Alexander is not coming to the ring to survive; he’s coming to win. Better yet, he wants to expose Khan on fight night, and sees his “amateur mistakes,” including his tendency to jump in and out of range with his chin up, and his mediocre defense.
On what to expect on fight night, Alexander said, “You will see a more exciting Devon…I’m going to be there, use a lot of movement but not running around the ring, but a lot of angles. I’m going to bring a lot of speed and power. After this fight people will say we have to respect this guy for what he’s done, and for being an elite fighter” (via ThaBoxingVoice.com).
If things go Devon’s way, Khan will be able to eat his cake and have it too.
