Updated: Apr 17, 2018 1:12 am
Amir Khan returns from the boxing wilderness on Saturday night when he faces Phil Lo Greco in his homecoming fight live on Sky Sports PPV.
Amir Khan had been out of action for nearly two years, taking a lengthy absence from the sport.
Will we see a rejuvenated Khan under a new trainer on his return or will the old Khan return and we’ll see him get knocked out in devastation fashion again?
This will be Amir Khan’s first fight since losing in gruesome battle to Canelo Alvarez in 2016, King Khan was knocked out cold in brutal fashion against the Mexican, The British fighter feels he made a mistake by facing the middleweight king in desperation of landing the big fights and insists that he has learned from that fight.
Let have it right…
Amir Khan showed courage to jump up two weight classes to challenge for the middleweight world title, he began the fight well, was up on the scorecards and was coping fine until the sixth round when Canelo detonated and that was all she wrote, the Mexican’s physical superiority proved too much to handle in the end.
“The reason I took the Canelo fight is that I got quite desperate,” he explained. “I really wanted a big super fight and I wanted my name up on the Vegas strip. It’s always been my dream. “The mistake I made in there was my own fault. I dropped my left hand and I got caught over the top with Canelo’s right hand.
“I would rather be knocked out with one big shot instead of taking numerous punches and getting stopped that way, so I’m glad it was just that one shot.” The 31-year-old revealed how his desperate pursuit of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight made him become impatient for a big-name bout and took the plunge.
Speaking on Amir Khan: Off Limits, he said: “There’s fights I’ve wanted, like for example the Floyd Mayweather fight – that was talked about for years and years, and didn’t happen. “The Manny Pacquiao fight, which was talked about and didn’t happen, so you do kind of fall out of love [with boxing].
“The reason I took the ‘Canelo’ fight is because I got quite desperate.
“I really wanted a big super fight and I wanted my name up on the Vegas strip. It’s always been my dream.
“The Mayweather fight got so close many times, which never seemed to happen.”
On Saturday night, the Bolton man will begin his quest to reclaim a world title when he takes on Canadian Lo Greco at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
Amir Khan will be without his trainer Virgil Hunter who has taken time away from the sport due health problems, the main man to fill in for Hunter, is no-other than Joe Goossen who has trained the likes of Shane Mosley and Rafael Ruelas. Amir Khan has admitted than being back in the limelight has got him feeling the nerves of fight-night again.
“I am a little bit nervous but I know my fitness is right, I’ve trained hard for this,” he said.
“I do feel a lot better than I did at 28. I’m 31 now, I’m at the peak of my career, I know I have a bit left in me to come back.
“I want to win another world title, that’s what keeps me going.”
Speaking about linking up with Goossen, Khan insists his new trainer has kept him on his toe during camp
“He’s a trainer that’s always watching you. When I’m training he’ll always be watching me, I’ve seen videos of him just watching me,” he continued.
“He doesn’t take his eyes off me, seeing what mistakes I’m making, telling me whilst I’m training, ‘Amir your left hand’s dropping, your right hand’s dropping, keep your hands up higher’.
“It’s nice to have someone like him there, he’s experienced he’s trained some great champions in his day, and I still believe he’s a great trainer, I’m glad to have him here.”
Should Amir Khan get past Phil Lo Greco on Saturday, a potential all-British clash against Kell Brook could be next.
