Khan: I’m Perfect Opponent for Crawford

While WBO Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford is often referred to as one of the two top pound-for-pound boxers in the world today, Amir Khan feels he can test him like no one else.

Khan is set to challenge Crawford for his championship on April 20 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Khan is a former super lightweight champion but has not competed in a title fight since getting knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in 2016, when Khan stepped up to middleweight to challenge him for the WBC championship. This will, however, be Khan’s first attempt at a major world championship at 147 pounds.

“This is my own weight. I’m not going to experience the power that Canelo has,” Khan said. “[Crawford] has a lot of skill and speed. It will be a game of chess at times, and then there’ll be a time we’re both going to have to dig deep and pressure one another.”

After the loss to Alvarez, Khan did not fight for nearly two years until returning to the ring in 2018, stopping Phil Lo Greco in less than a minute in April before getting a unanimous decision win against Samuel Vargas in September.

Khan was knocked down in the Vargas fight and did not look his best, but he still elected to take $5 million in guaranteed money to have the title shot against Crawford. Khan passed up on the chance to face British rival Kell Brook in a long-awaited grudge match.

Khan feels his status as an all-time great can be cemented by defeating Crawford. And while many view Khan as an underdog, Khan feels Crawford has faced no one like him.

Crawford has had these fights that are walks in the park, where he’s beaten guys quite comfortably and not gotten into a messy fight. I’ve been quite the opposite. I’ve been in that place where it’s been a hard, rough fight. I don’t think he has.

“Crawford is very clever, but he hasn’t fought anyone who can box as well as him, so there’ll be new things he’ll see, and that’s why I took the fight,” Khan said. “I took a week to break down the fight when they offered it to me, and I thought it was perfect for me. I like the way he fights – very brilliant, very dangerous – but that’s what lifts me. I need the biggest fights to motivate me, to get me into my best condition and get me truly ready for a real fight.”

Original Story: Los Angeles Times