Amir Khan defiantly insisted he was okay while he was taken to hospital as a precaution after his heavy sixth-round knockout defeat by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas.
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Khan moved up nearly two weight classes for the biggest fight so far this year and although he is likely to go straight back down to welterweight, even he was looking forward to a middleweight showdown. “I want to fight the best, but my natural weight is 147 (the 147lb category)”.
Big underdogs can win too, says Khan, who doesn’t want Leicester City’s Premier League championship to be the only big sporting upset this week.
“I will probably go down to 147 now”. Kazakhstan’s Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs), the interim WBC middleweight champ, watched the fight from ringside and Alvarez invited him into the ring after he knocked out Khan.
For five rounds, Canelo Alvarez chased Amir Khan around the ring, looking to land the big punch every knew was coming.
He remains the mandatory challenger to Garcia, who stopped him in the third round of their light-welterweight fight in 2012, and hopes he can secure a date with him in December.
It seems that one of the most anticipated fights of the year is either headed towards an exciting finish or a shocking upset.
“He’s a fast fighter”, Alvarez said, “and I knew things would be [difficult] in the beginning”.
He said: “I always said he is one of the bravest fighters on the planet today”. That knockout was one of the worst of Khan’s pro career, as he was down on his back and looking hurt. He can come to Vegas, I don’t fear anyone in this sport.
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It’s a fight both Golovkin and boxing fans have been waiting for to happen, though the weight could be an issue. It took Alvarez 2 mins 37 seconds in the round 6 to eliminate Amir Khan. Now, if Canelo doesn’t take the fall fight, he would be stripped of his belt and Golovkin would get it with his interim tag being dropped.
