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Amir “King” Khan has spent so much of the months and weeks leading up to his bout on Saturday campaigning for a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr., that you would have thought the two had a fight this weekend. But unfortunately, “King” Khan must be reduced to facing peasant Devon “Alexander the Great” tomorrow to defend his WBC Silver Welterweight Title (so sorry they were out of gold, Khan).
In lieu of the gold missing in his WBC title, Khan will wear 24-carat gold, leather and silk shorts—rumored to cost a measly $50,000. What does this have to do with the outcome of fight? Absolutely nothing, but I’m sure Khan is counting on this Snapple fact to remind us he should be taken seriously as a King. Of what, I cannot be sure.
The strengths and weaknesses of each man make this match up a close one, but in the true style of predictions, only one man can have the edge. Essentially, the outcome of Khan-Alexander is a matter of which man’s style and will to win prevails the most.
Khan is an athletically gifted guy who has a lot of heart, and is eager to be taken seriously as an elite fighter. Sometimes the same eagerness that fuels Khan’s will to win comes at the expense of the patience and meticulousness he needs to really perfect his craft.
Alexander has conquered some tough opponents and has also experienced some setbacks in his career. Yet, if there’s anything Alexander’s last win against Jesus Soto Karass shows, it is that he can return to the drawing board and come back sharper than before.
Greatness is written in Alexander’s name, but can he live up to it? History has taught us not all Kings are great, but can Khan be the exception? Let’s break it down.
Tale of the Tape
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From a statistical perspective, the Tale of the Tape puts Amir Khan and Devon Alexander on a relatively even playing field. The fighters are a year apart (Khan is 28, Alexander 27), and are the exact same height, standing at 5’8 ½” tall. Though at 71 inches, Khan’s reach is marginally longer than Alexander’s 70 inch reach, the slight difference could potentially help Khan in the range department.
Khan has had more fights than Alexander, but Alexander has boxed more rounds than Khan. With these two fighters it is somewhat difficult to compare and analyze their experience only based on statistics. Even with rounds boxed, experience is always relative. Each fight depends on who the fighter and their opponent were at the time of the bout, among other variables. However, from a numerical perspective Khan and Alexander have relatively the same amount of experience, and both have faced quality fighters in their careers.
The two fighters’ opposing stances will also add to the drama of Khan’s orthodox and Alexander’s southpaw styles competing against each other. Both Khan and Alexander have been relying on their quick jabs to establish themselves and get their combinations off. With their bodies mirroring each other and lead hands in close contact, it will be interesting to see how each of them refigure the jab and find their distance.
Main Storylines
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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.
Strengths
Khan
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As many will acknowledge, Amir Khan’s athleticism sets him apart from other fighters in the game. In addition to the strong heart he has, Khan is exceptionally quick. Thanks to his current trainer, Virgil Hunter, Khan is learning some new tricks of the trade, but mostly how to capitalize off his natural strengths in the ring.
One of these strengths is his speed, which helps him throw quick combinations. The Pacquiao-esque flurries were more reminiscent of the old Khan, but he still stays busy in the ring by regularly throwing combinations and being busier than his opponent. In the end, his ability to get ahead on the scorecards by points alone is great insurance against his glass jaw that makes him susceptible to knockdowns.
Khan has been down about nine times in his career, but to his credit he has great bounce-back, which is critical for a fighter lacking a great chin. He demonstrated this the last time he was knocked down by Julio Diaz, showing that he could not only get back up and keep fighting, but also win the fight. This is part of what makes Khan exciting to watch.
One of Khan’s most important strengths will be his corner work. Hunter is helpful to Khan not only in the gym but also during the actual fight. People usually don’t pay attention to what goes on in the corner in between rounds, but upon close observation you will notice that Hunter plays a central role in keeping Khan grounded during the fight, especially when the going gets tough. This is important for a guy like Khan who listens to his trainer but has a tendency in heated moments to default to old, bad habits.
Alexander
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Ever since Devon Alexander’s less-than-stellar performance against Shawn Porter, he’s improved dramatically. Sometimes in boxing it’s about going back to the basics, and this is exactly what Alexander’s trainer Kevin Cunningham emphasized during the training camp for Soto Karass. They focused less on strengthening and conditioning and more on Alexander’s speed, sharpness and combinations. The results were beautiful, as Alexander returned to the ring looking much more polished and sure of what he was doing.
Also worth noting from Alexander’s last performance was the strategic use of all three main ranges. He was able to work on the outside and in mid-range when he wanted by using his much quicker jab, and found his way to the inside to land sharp, crisp punches.
This is quite important, seeing that Khan’s comfort zone is working on the outside, keeping his opponent at bay. Khan believes he can exchange on the inside, and from an athletic perspective he can. However, mid-range exchanges are a danger zone for Khan because this is where he tends to become the most reckless and inattentive. At mid to close-range, he’s not near his opponent enough to disable those inside punches and not far enough to exchange and escape without paying for it. If Devon can open and close his distance with Khan as he pleases, he can effectively control the exchanges in the ring.
The patient, but largely inactive Alexander that was in the ring with Porter would not have great success against Khan, but the new and improved Alexander is focusing on the right things for this match. Speed and the use of combinations, tailored to Alexander’s style of course, are critical to this fight. Alexander is patient and has pretty effective timing, but he must couple this with meaningful activity to keep Khan on his toes and prevent him from leading on the scorecards.
Weaknesses
Khan
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Amir Khan will always be his own worst enemy simply because he has too much heart for his own good. This sounds like a strange weakness to have in a sport that demands grit in order to persevere. Yet, it is true, at the root of Khan’s perceived arrogance is a hunger to be great, and a confidence that errs on the side of entitlement and delusion.
There’s a difference between wanting to be great and believing you’ve reached a level of greatness before you’ve arrived. Khan has all the tools he needs to be an elite fighter including athleticism and one of the best trainers in the business. However, I find that Khan lacks the patience he needs to be at the level he wants. Being that time is a key ingredient of growth, Khan’s lack of necessary patience could eventually change. Right now though, it continues to hold him back.
Fortunately Khan has Virgil Hunter in his corner to be a critical voice of reason and guidance. On the other hand, old habits die hard, and there are clear moments when the old Khan shows up. Khan is getting better at using his head to guide his decisions but when he’s tested, you can count on his emotions taking over.
Alexander
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I’m interested to see if Devon Alexander can keep up with Amir Khan’s pace or even better, impose his own.
Pace was a trouble spot for Alexander when he faced Shawn Porter. Khan is not a wildcard like Porter, but he does like to dictate his own pace in the ring. If Khan starts working on a rhythm, it will be important for Alexander to continually be first in exchanges and make Khan uncomfortable by disrupting his rhythm. Doing so will allow his own style to prevail and make Khan second-guess his approach.
Another potential weakness for Alexander is his tendency to admire his punches. Once he gets in a zone he can become slightly inattentive to small details, such as his defense and moving after his combinations. This seems trivial, but it matters up against someone like Khan who likes to attack using his angles.
Winner and Why – Alexander
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Initially I was split 50/50 between Amir Khan and Devon Alexander, being that both fighters are bringing equally interesting styles to the table. With all things considered, I give Devon Alexander the edge. I believe the improvement he has made in several months’ time is drastic enough to give Khan one of the most important fights of his career.
Though Khan claims he is not overlooking Alexander, I cannot help but sense he is focusing more on this fight as a gateway to Floyd Mayweather than on the bout itself. Perhaps in an enigmatic way, the possibility of facing Mayweather is highly motivating for Khan. The more obvious and likely answer is that Khan is treating Alexander like the breadbasket before the big steak arrives.
The bottom line is that Khan should be taking Alexander more seriously than he is. Both fighters have an equal chance of doing well should their given style prevail in the ring, but I believe Alexander has more of the right kind of grit and patience it takes to seal the deal should the bout become neck-and-neck.
In order to impose one’s style and will on an opponent, at least in testing situations, a fighter must know who he is. When I look at Alexander, I see a fighter who knows who he is, even though he’s had to refine his skills in order to improve.
When I look at Khan, I see a fighter who knows who he is trying to be, but has yet to master himself—and this is what shakes my confidence in him.
