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Keith Thurman: 'I really don't think Amir Khan has any business stepping up to 147'

Keith Thurman says he'd fight Amir Khan if it made sense, but that he doesn't think Khan is going to be a factor at 147 pounds.

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Scott Christ is the managing editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2006.

A lot of boxing fans and pundits are skeptical of Amir Khan's rather fragile chin holding up as he plans to embark on a move up to 147 pounds, and one of those is welterweight power puncher Keith Thurman, a Golden Boy stablemate who sees Khan's impending jump as a mistake.

From Livefight.com:

"He couldn't take Danny Garcia's left hook at 140. I really don't think Amir Khan has any business stepping up into the 147 division. He's really not my cup of tea. I'm hungry for something else. If they had good reason and Al Haymon said 'we got to take care of this guy', then we'll do it. I called out the world of boxing and I'm a man of my word."

Khan (28-3, 19 KO) was knocked down in his last fight, a 143-pound catchweight bout against ex-lightweight titlist Julio Diaz, which Khan won via decision without looking particularly good. It does seem as though it's possible that there is no more serious improvement that Khan will be making, though he tells a different story of his work with Virgil Hunter, who has trained him for his last two fights, both designed victories.

Thurman (21-0, 19 KO) is one of the heaviest hitters at 147, and a potential Khan fight would seem to be right up his alley. Whatever he may give up in speed or technique against Khan, Thurman would be heavily favored to make up for in sheer power. Lighter punchers than Thurman have put Khan down and sometimes out, and Thurman throws with mean intentions.

If it did happen, would you give Khan a good chance at outboxing Thurman and surviving the fight?

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