LAS VEGAS — Amir Khan and Devon Alexander both know a victory at the MGM Grand on Saturday night will strengthen their chances of landing a money-spinning superfight with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in 2015. But where will this weekend’s fight be won and lost?
SIZE MATTERS
Khan and Alexander are former champions in the 140lb light-welterweight division but have both made the step up to 147lbs in recent years. Global icons Mayweather (WBC, WBA) and Manny Pacquiao (WBO) currently hold belts in the welterweight class, currently the richest division in the sport – and arguably the most competitive.
Khan has fought just once at his new weight but made a big impression by dominating the experienced, fully-fledged welter Luis Collazo at the MGM in May. Alexander, meanwhile, is yet to convince that he is better suited at 10st 7.
In only his second fight as a welterweight, Alexander won the IBF world title with a unanimous decision over Randall Bailey. But, in his three fights since, he has not quite set the world alight. He made easy work of late stand-in Lee Purdy in Atlantic City in May 2013 in his first defence, but then lost the title seven months later when he faced Shawn Porter.
The American bounced back from that defeat by out-pointing Jesus Soto Karass over 10 rounds in June but the jury is still out on whether he can produce his best at his new weight.
The same can be said of Khan, and Saturday night’s fight will be won by the man more suited to the heavier limit.
SPEED KILLS
Khan has forged a reputation as the man with the fastest hands in the world – and his feet are not far behind. Few boxers on the planet can get close to the Bolton star’s dazzling hand speed when he hits at full flow with combinations and his footwork can move him in and out of range in an instant. Alexander is no slouch himself but Khan will edge the battle for speed and that could be key.
Ahead of the fight, Khan said: “He’s different from what he was at light-welter. He stands there a little bit more, takes a lot of shots but gives a lot back. He doesn’t move as much as he used to – he’s more static.”
But it will be up to the Englishman to utilise that speed to stay two or three steps ahead of Alexander, who will look to nullify his opponent’s movement by planting his feet and using his power to slow him down with shots to the body in particular.
That was Collazo’s plan here in Vegas seven months back but the rugged New Yorker got picked apart by Khan, who set a startling pace from the off. However, it has been argued that Khan’s fleet-of-foot has meant that sometimes he throws too many ‘arm’ punches – those that do not pack the power carried in those thrown from the hip.
It will be down to Khan to strike the right balance between pace and power against his southpaw opponent who has never been stopped.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Khan turned 28 on Monday and this fight, his first at the top of a Las Vegas bill, really feels like a coming-of-age occasion. Since his last outing, Khan has become a father – with wife Faryal giving birth to his daughter Lamaisah during the summer. As ever, his training camp with trainer Virgil Hunter has taken place in Los Angeles so Khan has had to make do with Skype calls to his family back home in England.
In the past, some boxers have admitted to losing their edge after becoming dads, their nasty streak dimmed by a new paternal instinct. But, for Khan, fatherhood has brought his desire to succeed into even sharper focus.
Ringside http://t.co/0etaRcr4V5
— Amir Khan (@AmirKingKhan) December 11, 2014
“Becoming a father has changed me a lot,” said Khan ahead of his first fight since the birth of his daughter.
“Everything I do now is to give my family and my daughter Lamaisah a comfortable life. I’m doing it for her. She is my motivation in training camp and she gives me the strength to get through.
“I want her to grow up and say my dad was a great champion. That’s the biggest motivation to have when your little girl goes to school and her friends say ‘your dad was a great fighter’.”
But Alexander, of St Louis, will also be drawing on motivation from outside the ring after the recent unrest in Ferguson following the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in August.
It has been a traumatic time for residents in his home city, just as it has been for Alexander and his trainer Kevin Cunningham, and both say they are ‘carrying the region on their shoulders’ in this fight. Brown’s father Mike Senior is expected to attend on Saturday as a guest of the pair.
If this fight is as close as expected, such inspiration could be enough to nudge either man over the line.
