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Amir Khan: One mistake against Canelo can get me hurt

Amir Khan says he'll be focused for his fight with Canelo Alvarez, realizing that any mistake could be a game changer.

Amir Khan says he'll be focused for his fight with Canelo Alvarez, realizing that any mistake could be a game changer.

On not doing a rehydration clause

"We want to fight Canelo, the best Canelo out there. After I beat him, I don't want any excuses. So we agreed to it. Golden Boy said, 'We don't want to put that in.' I said, 'It's fine.'"

On fighting at the heavier weight

"Eating normal. Keeping all of the muscle. Keeping the strength. Just training at this weight. Normally, the way I look at it, I go down two weights to make a normal fight at 147. This time I'm gonna stay the same weight. I'm gonna be happier at the weight. I'm gonna walk into the ring probably at 160. ... I'm probably about 165 (right now). I've got a bit to lose. I'm not out of shape, but I've been about 165. I'll probably be my best about 159, 158."

On maybe losing something not cutting weight

"There's some truth in it. When you have to lose the weight, you're geared up and focused when you get close to the fight, keeps you working, gets you focused, but I'm going to be ready regardless. I'm up against a guy who wants to hurt me, wants to beat me. I have to be focused. If he wasn't a big puncher, maybe I wouldn't have thought that, but because I know he's a big puncher, at 160 he's a big puncher, knocking out guys, so I know fighting at 155 he's going to have some power. I have to be smart. I can't make any mistakes."

On staying out of a firefight

"You know when you're fighting someone this big and strong, you're not going to stand there and trade. You're going to be smart, you're going to use your boxing skills, you're going to box and move. I think with this fight, I'm gonna stick to the game plan. Virgil's got a game plan for me. I'm going to be more focused because I know one mistake in this fight can get me in trouble and get me hurt."

On the size of his sparring partners

"A couple of middleweights, maybe a couple of super middleweights."

On pro boxers in the Olympics

"I think it's a great idea. It gives a great opportunity to those Olympians, and also those professionals who didn't go to the Olympics and then become Olympians -- you have to have a lot of respect for these Olympians, because they are some very, very good fighters. I had the record of going to the Olympics and then turning professional and becoming a world champion. Most Olympic medalists become world champions and very good professional boxers. I think it'll be great, because now, having the headguards removed, and the vests removed, I think they're making it similar to the professionals. Also I've heard that the rounds have gone to three minutes. I think it's a great idea. I think it could definitely work."

On trying to win a gold medal

"It's something I would consider, yeah, going back to the Olympics and winning a gold medal."

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