Devon Alexander vs. Amir Khan: Key Storylines for Epic Welterweight Title Fight
The boxing world takes center stage on Saturday night with a WBC silver welterweight title fight between champion Amir Khan and challenger Devon Alexander. Both fighters have more to gain than just a championship, but neither can afford a loss in this spot.
Khan has bigger things on his mind than just retaining his title. The 28-year-old star has rebounded nicely with three straight wins after consecutive losses to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia. This will be his chance to make an impression for a shot at a big-event fight.
Alexander is trying to keep building momentum. He suffered a loss against Shawn Porter in December 2013 before getting back on track against Jesus Soto Karass in June. The 27-year-old has been working toward this fight for a long time—in December 2013, Khan pulled out in hopes of landing a bigger bout.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Regardless of past circumstances, Khan and Alexander are finally ready to settle their differences once and for all. Here are the key storylines to watch before the fighters step in the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Is Amir Khan Putting Too Much Pressure on Himself?
When Khan pulled out of the planned fight with Alexander last December, as noted by Brian Campbell of ESPN.com, his goal was to get a fight with Floyd Mayweather in May.
Unfortunately for the English star, Mayweather opted for a bout with Marcos Maidana and then granted the Argentine a rematch in September since the first bout ended in a majority-decision win for the champion. Mayweather dominated the second bout, winning via unanimous decision.
With nothing currently on Mayweather's plate, Khan is using this bout as a steppingstone to get a shot at the pound-for-pound kingpin.
Per a report from BBC.com, Khan is hoping that fans will make a vocal appeal to Mayweather for a May fight between the two:
"I want the boxing fans around the world to demand a fight between me and Floyd. I want them to demand it when they see Amir Khan in such a good fight.
...
They're going to be like, 'wow, he should fight Mayweather.
I don't just want it to happen, I want people demanding it. It's going to be a tough fight [against Alexander] but I don't just want to win it, I want to win it in style.
"
Based on what Khan is saying, it seems like he's looking so far ahead that his focus may not be 100 percent on beating Alexander. After all, Khan thought so little of this fight that he didn't want it one year ago.
There's also the developing sideshow between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. While things are still in the stage of "believe it when I see it," Mayweather called out Pacquiao on Friday, via Showtime Sports:
That can mean anything at this moment given how many times fans have been teased with the possibility of a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout, though it doesn't sound as though Mayweather is giving Khan any particular attention.
Given what Khan has put into making Mayweather notice him, there's going to be an enormous sense of frustration if Alexander defeats him. He's still young enough to bounce back from a fourth defeat, though it would be a surprise if Mayweather and Pacquiao ever come calling before hanging up their gloves.
Devon Alexander Has the Right Mindset
While Khan may be preoccupied with fighters other than the one he will be meeting on December 13, Alexander has kept his attention exactly where it belongs.
The challenger has been making statements about Khan that may come off as pre-fight trash talk but ring true when you look at things closely, via Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail:
"Where I come from, it’s not good to be cocky.
...
I’ve not been around Khan much but I hear a lot about him. And what I hear - even from boxing fans in the UK - is that he’s arrogant. A lot of people hate him. That’s the feed back. Not cool.
"
If you’re as good as he says he is you don’t have to tell everyone. You don’t gloat. Because the cockier you are the harder you fall.
Alexander comes into this fight as a plus-260 underdog, according to OddsShark.com, so he's the one with nothing to lose. His resume is impressive for a fighter who isn't getting much attention, as he holds wins over Maidana and Lucas Matthysse.
This fight is all about respect for Alexander. Khan isn't giving it to him by looking for a bigger payday against Mayweather. The boxing community hasn't given it to him, despite some impressive wins. All that Alexander has to do is win this fight to take control of his career.
He is smart enough to know that a win in this spot will lead to bigger things but not dumb enough to go looking ahead.
Final Prediction
Khan is getting the odds in this fight, but Alexander made a fair assessment of his opponent in the Campbell article cited earlier:
"All Khan does is hit, hit, hit and move out in every fight. I'm a versatile boxer who can stand in the pocket but also be a smart fighter. I fight differently in each fight.
I don't see anything special of Khan. He's a little fast, but what else? Everybody is fast. You have to have something else in your arsenal at the top level.
"
Being able to strike an opponent is Khan's specialty. His power at 147 pounds isn't the same as it is at super welterweight, as he went to the judges against Julio Diaz and Luis Collazo.
Alexander hasn't stopped a fight at welterweight either, although his movement and confidence are going to improve following his win over Soto Karass in June.
While it's tempting to pick Alexander in this spot, Khan is the better athlete and will eventually wear the St. Louis native down with his ability to land strikes. It will go all 12 rounds, but Khan will get the win he clearly craves.
If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter: @adamwells1985
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
