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By: Sean Crose
“Can’t wait,” Amir Khan tweeted this week, “to get back in the ring, where I belong.” Sure enough, the last time fans saw the lighting fast former British Olympian was back in 2016. It was then that Khan was knocked out in brutal fashion by Canelo Alvarez after Khan had bravely jumped up the weight scale in order to land a long desired major pay per view event. For the record, Khan presented himself extremely well in the fight, but the power of the Mexican star proved to be too much. Once Canelo found his mark, the results were nothing short of frightening.
Now Khan wants back in the ring. The 31-4 Bolton native is currently thirty years old – which is no longer as old as thirty used to be for a professional boxer. Still, the man has taken some punishment over the years. Besides the thunderous shot Canelo rocked him with last year, Kahn has also fallen victim to the fists of Danny Garcia and Breidis Prescott. Marcos Maidana also gave Khan the brawl of his life in a 2010 fight where Khan emerged victorious. These bouts, coupled with a long time away from the ring, leave fans and analysts with a considerable amount of questions.
Will Khan, for instance, still have the speed which he has relied on? Will he still have the quick reflexes? Although well known for the times he’s come up short, Khan certainly has an impressive record for a professional boxer. He’s beaten the likes of Zab Judah, Chris Algieri, Paulie Malignaggi and Marco Antonio Barrera. He was also proving to be quite the challenge for Canelo and Garcia before his famous glass jaw shattered on him. Some may wonder now, however, if the gifts which made Khan such a formidable opponent in the past are still with him.
There’s also the matter of Khan’s rather unconventional personality, which can make his career decisions somewhat unpredictable. The man appeared desperate for a Floyd Mayweather match during the “Money” era, but seemed to some to be completely unwilling to face Kell Brook when a battle between he and his fellow Englishman would have made for quite an interesting fight. Throw in very public personal issues and it’s sometimes difficult for even the most acute of analysts to discern what Khan is up to.
Still, the man has proven to be a very talented and competitive fighter. He also has a style that makes for good viewing. Should he come back, as he says he will, Khan will definitely generate interest. It’s up to Khan to ultimately step back into the ring, however. Until he does, fans will be left to wonder…or, worse still for Khan, move on.
