Khan vs. Peterson: Bernard Hopkins Is Wrong About Khan's Ability to Lead Boxing

Amir Kahn is one of the best the sport of boxing has to offer, but he is not the face of the sport. At least not yet.

Kahn (26-1, 18 KO’s) will defend his WBA and IBF light welterweight titles against Lamont Peterson (29-1-1, 15 KO’s) in what should be an absolute war. He has to win this kind of fight to be considered one of the faces of the sport, not before.

At 25 years old, Kahn is young enough to suffer losses that he can learn from. It’s hard to build the momentum as a star if you still suffer sporadic hiccups. If Kahn can extend his winning streak to nine fights, then we may be seeing the birth of a legitimate superstar.

Hopkins told Boxing Scene about Kahn’s future and his ability to lead the sport:

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He's young: 25 years old is a baby. I know I can still learn something, but there isn't too much to learn at my age. But there is a whole encyclopedia of knowledge waiting for him to learn. As years and fights go by, he will learn, one way or the other. He's part of the puzzle to take the sport forward.

To lead it the whole way and carry boxing on your back is another question. That is about becoming that Oscar De La Hoya figure, or Muhammad Ali, or Ray Leonard. To carry the elite boxing on your back like those names...he has the chance to do that, but he has to do something outstanding against some outstanding opponents. It has to be opponents that we look at in the same way.

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This is all too premature. While Kahn may be the face of boxing in a few years, he has to earn that spot by winning in career-defining fights like the one he has on Saturday night.

All of the added pressure may be getting to be too much for the 25-year-old, but he hasn’t shown it to this point. If he can stay the course and beat the tough Peterson, then discussions can open about if he is the next face of boxing.

Hopkins is just adding fuel to the media fire with these comments. Kahn is a smart fighter and a smart kid, but he has to keep his head above all the people telling him that he is great and never stop honing his craft.

Kahn needs to yearn for supremacy even when he is the best in the world. That drive will make him the face over time.

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