Amir Khan: I know I can take Canelo's power

Amir Khan will be going from light-punching welterweight Chris Algieri to a hard hitting middleweight (yes I said middleweight) Canelo Alvarez. That's quite the contrast. But despite what many believe about this fight, Khan insists that he'll be able to handle Canelo's power and prove to the world that he's really at the level where he rates himself.

"I really promise you're going to see a different Amir Khan in this fight.

"I've been let down so many times in having the biggest fights. There's a lot of big names I've wanted to fight but just couldn't get those fights.

Those fights would obviously be against the sports two biggest draws, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. It's well publicized that Khan held out for a fight with Mayweather a couple of times only to be rebuffed in the end. He suffered the same fate when he was hoping to land a Manny Pacquiao fight, with Pacquiao deciding to take a third fight against Timothy Bradley Jr. With those names off the table, Khan took the next biggest name in the sport, apparently undaunted by the fact that Alvarez fights several divisions above him on fight night.

Khan says despite people questioning why he would take this fight, he simply responds by saying he truly believes he can win it, while also believing that he can handle Canelo's power.

"I know I can take his power, take his speed and I really have the tools to win this fight."

Of course fans will be quick to point out the fact that if he couldn't take Breidis Prescott's power at 135lbs, nor Danny Garcia's power at 140lbs, then how in the hell is he going to take the power of a bona fide middleweight? It's certainly a legitimate question. Khan would answer by telling you that he's sturdier at the higher weight now that he doesn't have to drain himself down. But I believe if he's going to have any chance at winning this fight, his best bet will be to not have his chin tested by Canelo's power -- preferably not even once. In fact, now that I'm thinking more about it, his wiry frame probably can't afford to take too many of Canelo's powerful body shots either.

So Khan walks the tightrope May 7th on HBO PPV.