Roach rates Amir Khan above Pacquiao on pace
HOLLYWOOD, California: Freddie Roach said on Tuesday that WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan is a better boxer than Filipino Manny Pacquiao at the age of 24 owing to his pace.
Amir Khan. Courtesy: Reuters
Freddie Roach, who has trained both of the boxers, said that Amir Khan is learning at a quicker pace which would help him emulate Pacquiao in the next couple of years.
Roach told a news wire at his Wild Card Boxing Club, “Amir is little bit more ahead of Manny. It took Manny Pacquiao eight years to get to the point where he became unbeatable and he has dominated every fight. Amir has been with me for just three years now and he’s getting closer and closer. He will become the pound-for-pound king within a couple of years. He is well ahead of schedule and a big win here against Zab (Judah) would be another step towards Manny’s record.”
Pakistan-origin British boxer Amir Khan has knocked out 17 of his 25 opponents so far and lost only one bout during the course and is now all set to take on American IBF title holder Zab Judah in a unification bout on July 23 in Las Vegas.
Amir Khan. Courtesy: Reuters
Many experts have given weight to the 33-year-old Judah against the 24-year-old Southpaw Amir Khan but Roach is of the view that Khan will come out successfully at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
He said, “Zab will need to be at his best to survive in this one. I am very confident in my guy. We are ready to fight, we know when and where to attack this guy and how to attack him. We will win and walk away. I do not see this fight going the distance. We will overwhelm him with our speed and power, and I think Zab doesn’t really take to getting hit like he once did.”
Amir Khan said a knockout was on the cards in the July 23 bout against Judah but he refrained from making any tall claims.
He stated, “I really think I will get a knockout in this fight but I never go into a fight looking for a knockout because that’s when you start making mistakes. I’m going to go in there boxing and if the knockout comes it comes. But we are ready for the full 12-round distance. We have worked very hard for this fight and we know that we’ve got a good game plan that I’m going to be following.”
Amir Khan said, “Later this year, I am hoping to fight Erik Morales. That would be a big fight for me. He’s a big name over here in the States. From there, maybe I will move up to 147 (pounds) and try to take on Floyd Mayweather. That’s what we are looking at. You need to have ambitions and my main goal is to fight for the pound-for-pound title. I’ve still got a long, long way to go and I am learning every day and in every fight. But I am getting there slowly.”
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