Rumor: Amir Khan will refuse a fight with Marcos Maidana

by SC on Dec 10, 2009 6:05 AM EST in Rumors Comment 34 comments

Is Marcos Maidana too dangerous for Amir Khan?

It's almost too predictable to be true, but Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com is reporting today that word around boxing is that if the WBA issues an order for junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan to face interim titleholder Marcos Maidana, Khan will vacate his title rather than face the powerful slugger from Argentina.

From Reeno:

After the Ortiz win, Maidana's side was putting pressure on the sanctioning body for a shot at Khan. There was only one problem, Dmitriy Salita was the mandatory and his side was ready for an all-out legal war if their title opportunity was given to Maidana.

The WBA gave Salita the first crack - with a catch attached. The winner of Khan-Salita had 90-days to fight Maidana. I hear the sanctioning body will soon issue an order for Khan-Maidana.

This should come as no surprise. I'm not calling Amir Khan a coward or anything, but he has every right to be terrified of a fight with Maidana. Khan (22-1, 16 KO) still has some serious chin questions, and his matchups against nothing but light hitters since the first round KO debacle against Breidis Prescott last year should tell you that as much as they talk about the extra five pounds helping his resistance, they're still not totally confident against big punchers.

And Maidana (27-1, 26 KO) can punch. Victor Ortiz found that out for sure in June, quitting after feeling too much of Maidana's power. Maidana's only loss is a disputed decision against Andriy Kotelink, whom Khan beat in July for the title.

Part of it could also just be money, but there are wrinkles there too. If you look at the names that Khan and Roach have talked about, there's not a single guy in his prime, and two of them aren't 140-pound fighters. Roach has brought up Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and of course, in his most shameless call-out, Erik Morales.

Even if the WBA mandates it, don't expect to see Khan-Maidana. If all goes right for Khan, there will be plenty of title belts in his future, and giving one up to avoid a guy who has danger written all over him is, in its own way, plenty understandable. Khan is all of 23 years old, and while perfect records aren't all they're cracked up to be, a second bad KO at this point could be devastating for his career.

Like it or not, Maidana may be too damn dangerous for his own good in this case.

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I guess maybe 2/3 fights down the track would be the right time. He needs at least a couple of fights to step up and build his confidence with better wins. And a JMM/Hatton fight would be far more lucrative with far less risk, for all that both are past their primes.

People generally are going to say its cowardly, but there’s nothing wrong with making more money for less risk, or the same for less….

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)

by BrianBrock on Dec 10, 2009 6:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is what you call " BITCH-ASS-NESS"

This sport is about risk at times and that’s why they get paid the big money. Or if you will, salaries larger than the average worker in a year.

by Haans Bishop on Dec 10, 2009 9:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not surprising at all

Maidana punches a lot harder than Prescott and doesn’t suck. Eventually, he needs to step up to someone with some power, but preferably someone who’s not as strong or as good as Maidana.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Dec 10, 2009 9:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think anyone is eager to face him after what he did to Ortiz…

The guy has a great chin and was able to withstand all of what Ortiz gave him, but the fact that he kept pressing the action and was able to land hard and flush shots was remarkable.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 10, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't believe it

With Roach in is corner, I think Khan should be able to beat this guy impressivly. Maidana is far from perfect, Ortiz had him down how many times? Khan does not sound like the vacating type BUT, having said that all I think he would rather have a big money, big exposure fight rather than some semi unkown Argentenian

by fremontfan1 on Dec 10, 2009 11:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Eh?

Khan would beat this guy impressivley?! Maidana hits much better than Prescott and is far more skilled. His countering is effective and he can attack pretty damn well. I’m not saying that this guy is the jnr welter george Foreman but if he catches most fighters properly then they are catching some Zs. Khan would get knocked out big time.

"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Dec 10, 2009 12:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, Khan MIGHT win

But I don’t think Frank Warren is going to risk it. Khan’s a big enough draw at this point that if he vacates, he can probably get another title shot pretty easily against someone like Bradley (or even Urango, based on his complete inability to cut off the ring) who’s a better style matchup. A big puncher who’s long, brawls and can cut off the ring might be the worst style matchup possible for Khan.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Dec 10, 2009 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If it's just avoiding risk this early in his career

I would be fine with that. But it’s like SC is condoning Khan and his camp’s act to deliberately avoid Maidana. I hate to ask this, but is that what boxing has come to? You can avoid the most dangerous fights and be understood or forgiven for it? As a matchmaking move, fine, I’ll allow it. But to be afraid of an opponent and shun him with that fear? That’s still inexcusable. This is boxing, people.

Peace. =)

by Fj-3 on Dec 10, 2009 12:29 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

I approve this message

and in the meantime, while Khan is busy preparing for a future jabfest with Malignaggi, I’d like to see Maidana-Urango, because that would be one hell of a war

by FunnyBigHat on Dec 10, 2009 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and i should clarify that khann-malignaggi would actually be a fun match to watch, IMHO

by FunnyBigHat on Dec 10, 2009 1:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you but sometimes you just got to know when someone is better than you and I think that everyone including Khan mom knows that he shouldn’t be in the ring vs a guy like El Chino.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 10, 2009 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not “condoning” a clear duck, but what am I gonna do? Wag my finger at him? “Shame on you, Amir Khan! Shame on you!” I mean, whatever. Chances are he winds up taking a fight that nets him more money if they have their way, and then who am I to say he “ducked” Maidana out of any sort of fear, when rather, they’ll say, a Maidana fight wasn’t worth enough money?

And anyway, since “avoiding risk” is the sum total of it no matter how you slice it, are you “fine with that” or is it “inexcusable”?

Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport

by SC on Dec 10, 2009 5:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

double edged sword....

We often ridicule sanctioning bodies for forcing bullshit mandatories on fighters (Bernard Hopkins-Morade Hakkar anyone?)…..this one is the right call. Can you really fault Khan? Its a ridiculous double standard, but I think Khan should fight him.

Larry Merchant IS God...

by El_Mas_Chingon on Dec 10, 2009 12:45 PM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Yes I Khan

Of course I’m gonna fault Khan. Don’t tell me he is kicking Pacman’s ass in sparring sessions and then be afraid of having him fight Maidana. Ortiz was an up and coming prospect and he fought Maidana. He got housed and had a war, but at least they fought. I’m liking Campbell-Maidana more and more as the “We are both avoided, let’s fight each other” fight.

by waldo47 on Dec 10, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Call Ortiz a bitch a quiter whatever… but he face a guy no one really wanted to face and was a legit threat. Khan doesn’t want to face guys who are a threat to him.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 10, 2009 3:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I give Ortiz all the credit in the world for the simple fact that he took on a very difficult challenge. The aftermath of the fight is a little different story, but the actions before the fight were quite impressive.

by waldo47 on Dec 10, 2009 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In a perfect world a move like this would have Khan ran right out of the sport. I think very highly of Khan and would be amongst the much criticized (until after the fight) minority that picks him by somewhat wide scores in the match, but this sort of out-right cowardice does not belong in boxing.

This IS ducking. Fighters are constantly accused of ducking one another, but it is pretty rare that it actually happens. This is blatant ducking in favor of soft fights. It isn’t like Hatton/Khan wouldn’t make huge money even if Amir were laid out. Hell, it might even do a little better since people would think it a more competitive fight than they do now.

by jcarr71 on Dec 10, 2009 2:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

People have vacated belts for mandatories that they don’t want to fight before, and have effectively ‘ducked’ fights by making unreasonable requests that the other boxer would never agree to.

He wants to make the same or more money by taking a less dangerous fight/building his confidence back up. What on earth is wrong with that? Do you think that after what should have been a no-contest ‘win’ over Barrera, pot-shotting feather fisted Kotelnik and 60 seconds of beating on Salita, he’s ready for a Maidana? Would You put him in against a Maidana at this time?

I think that to say things like ‘run out of the sport’ in a perfect world or ‘flat out cowardice’ is, IMHO, at the least misguided. I’m sure in the future he’ll face Maidana and have a good chance of winning

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)

by BrianBrock on Dec 10, 2009 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree.

I don’t think it’s misguided. In fact, I think “flat out cowardice” pretty much sums it up.

It would be different if Khan was saying things like “I’m going to take my time, and see what I can achieve in my career. We have a long term plan.” However, he quite clearly is not. What he actually says is stuff like “I am going to take on the world in 2010.” and “There isn’t anyone out there good enough to beat Amir Khan.” Oh, and not forgetting, “I’d get more love and respect if I was white”.

The combination of these express sentiments and the vacation of a title so he hasn’t got to fight someone who would, if we are honest, batter him into (submission/unconsciousness/retirement *delete as applicable) makes him a coward, a
bigot and most reprehaensible of all, a hypocrite.

JERRY’S FINAL THOUGHT;

At least stand by what you say. If you don’t actually think you’re that good, then shut the fuck up and no-one will blame you for not fighting elite fighters. Take care of yourself… and each other.

Boxing is the beginning of all sports. I'm willing to bet that the first sport was a man against another man in a fight. (Omar Epps)

by Chaos100 on Dec 10, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can’t say much for the bigotry aspect apart from the fact that he was clearly misguided in saying that.

However, All boxers say they’re the greatest and will fight anyone, and that is very rarely the case because they all want to make the most money. There are countless examples of this, so if we’re calling him a hypocrite, most boxers should be tarred with the same brush.

And as for cowardice, we don’t know that He wouldn’t want the fight. He’s always wanted to fight Prescott again, before the defeats. He

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)

by BrianBrock on Dec 11, 2009 1:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To complete

Had phone issues….I don’t think a coward would continue boxing with Such a fragile chin. I think it’s reckless bravery more than anything, there’s easier other ways to make money if you look to have a chin of genuine glass…so despite what he says, and I’ve said elsewhere I strongly disagree with the basis of those comments, I respect for still being in there.

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)

by BrianBrock on Dec 11, 2009 1:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I never mind someone--

say Pavlik, and especially in his health situation, with Williams—feeling they need another fight to get set for a bigger challenge. I imagine this is different, and to me = Khan being what he’s going to be. The best fight the best, the limited make their money and move on, or prove that they aren’t limited. I have little interest in Khan, not any more than I do in JC Jr.

by Don From Prov on Dec 10, 2009 2:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Khan isn’t just being protected from Maidana- he’ll avoid any serious challenge for as long as possible. Even though he’s 23, I cannot think of an explanation other than his own management lacks confidence in him.

by drivlikejehu on Dec 10, 2009 4:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

his management want to make the most money they can....

….just like everyone else’s management..if he can get the same money/more to fight JMM, why not? Isn’t that the most obvious explanation?

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)

by BrianBrock on Dec 10, 2009 4:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes,

boxing is a profession and fighters are well advised to make as much as they can. Yet, I doubt that is the full explanation here; I’m more inclined to go with what SC wrote: This fight represents too big a chance and I think Roach is not at all confident of Khan winning it, because doing so would make some noise and I imagine they’d like making noise—if Roach thought Khan could win; now, after a year or so, if this is the kind of fight that Khan is willing to take, then he might become a fighter of interest. Chavez Jr. seems to be making a career of NOT stepping up; he doesn’t interest me. Gerry Cooney had very “smart” managers who maximized his chance to make money, and he was ruined. Maybe he would have been ruined anyway the first time he stepped up against prime competition. Maybe Kahn will be too. I don’t know.

by Don From Prov on Dec 10, 2009 4:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can’t say I’m a big fan of this move by Khan, but the “23” part does mitigate things to some extent. It’s not as if there are a lot of other 23-year-olds out there who are taking on all comers. Most young fighters stay protected until they’re at least 25 or so. The only reason why more is expected of Khan is that he already has a belt, and the only reason why he already has a belt is that he needed one to re-establish his credibility after the Prescott disaster.

by taco pal on Dec 10, 2009 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dropping a title

to avoid someone, makes a statement, IMO.

by Don From Prov on Dec 10, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

whats the deal with boxingscene.com – - my McAfee won’t even let me on that site

by BloodMeridian on Dec 10, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It is littered with spam, viruses, and lack of a better word… shit…

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 10, 2009 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From what I’ve understood, it’s the ads. If you report a bad ad to them, they get rid of it.

Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport

by SC on Dec 10, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I know but any respectable web owner would perform due diligence before running certain ads. I feel they don’t even screen their ads at least when I use IE and visit them.

I never have a problem with firefox and its abblock…

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 10, 2009 5:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Firefox > IE

"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Dec 11, 2009 8:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

while not in the least bit surprising still somewhat disappointing … gonna leave a stigma there and khans def gonna loose face …

by boxzilla on Dec 10, 2009 5:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He needs a confidence boost to get over his own worries about his chin. Khan has fast hands and wont try to war with Maidana, which Ortiz did and lost.

If Khan stays outside and boxes i think he has a chance to win. If not Maidana will catch up with him and KO him, but if that makes it past the early/mid rounds you cant fault Khan for getting KOed by a guy that has huge power and who also KOed Ortiz.

I think Khan should step up and take the challenge and try to out box him

"Good, so it can’t go any deeper." - Arturo Gatti after being told he was cut to the bone

by sigidy on Dec 10, 2009 6:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs