King
STEVIE ADAMS JNR
Khan to face cool Collazo
The Brooklyn residents record would and
should be better, but unfortunately, he
has been on the receiving end of dodgy
judging on more than one occasion. Fans
from the UK may remember when he had
his world title unjustly taken from him in
2006, when the scorecards inexplicably
favoured another popular English star in
Ricky Hatton.
Then, after spending three years on the
outskirts of the big time, the likeable
32-year-old suffered another robbery at
the hands of Andre Berto in 2009.
The commentators, the ringside journalists and the fans in attendance (as well
as most people who watched the bout
on television) had Collazo winning by at
least two rounds.
The news is out and it’s official - Amir
‘King’ Khan will take on Luis Collazo
on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Marcos
Maidana card at the MGM Grand in Las
Vegas, Nevada, on May 3rd.
The bout itself will act as chief support
to the main event, and is expected to be
contested for the WBA International
welterweight title that Collazo won in
September of last year.
The 27-year-old Briton was widely
expected to be the man standing in the
18
opposite corner to ‘Money’ Mayweather
on fight night. So much so that he turned
down an IBF world title bout against then
champion, Devon Alexander.
Nevertheless, Khan’s dream fight didn’t
materialise and he was left in temporary
limbo.
Collazo, 35(18)-5(1), is a former WBA
world champion and WBC title#
challenger, and he put himself in position
for a high profile showdown with Khan by
knocking out Victor Ortiz in January.
BOXINGMADMAGAZINE.COM
The Bolton man is a former unified world
champion, having won the WBA and IBF
titles in the light welterweight division.
His record is an impressive one (28-3,
19KO’s) and he boasts victories over
renowned former champions such as;
Marco Antonio Barrera, Andriy Kotelnik,
Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah.
After their Commonwealth lightweight title
encounter in 2008, in which Khan was
knocked down once and badly hurt again
with a body shot before regrouping to win
by TKO, Michael Gomez said; “Khan has
world class speed, but he also has serious vulnerabilities.”
Collazo has been stopped only once in
his 14 year long professional career. And
that was all the way back in 2002 when
the hard hitting Colombian, Edwin Cassiani, contentiously stopped him on his
feet.
The younger man will be the favourite
going in, and he undoubtedly has the
skill-set to win the bout comfortably.
However, Khan is known for his lapses
in concentration and he has always been
susceptible to counter punchers.
The god fearing underdog is a slick,
sharp, counter punching southpaw with a
wealth of championship experience and
heavy hands. He also has a solid chin
and he is always in great physical condition.
Lest we forget that he also holds a win
over Marcos Maidana, the man who
Mayweather chose to face instead of
Khan.
Collazo is enjoying an Indian summer
following the Ortiz win, so he will enter
the ring brimming with confidence and he
won’t be afraid to mix it up with his celebrity opponent.
Nobody can deny the 2004 Olympic
silver medallists skills, desire or courage,
but his inability to take a punch is much
publicised. He has been knocked off his
feet on no fewer than seven occasions,
and he has been knocked out twice.
Virgil Hunter (Trainer of Khan) will come
up with a game plan and it will be down
to the boxer to stick to it. If he drifts away
from the plan, or switches off for just a
split-second, he will be severely punished.
BOXINGMADMAGAZINE.COM
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