Amir Khan

By Bennie

Amir Khan went his own way earlier this year, severing his British boxing roots for the sunshine of Los Angeles, the place where the rents are low as Neil Diamond once croaked. Now promoted by Oscar De La Hoya, he of the Colgate smile and the five thousand dollar suits, and trained by Freddie Roach, a shrewd individual with plenty of say-so in the Khan camp, Khan launches his US debut with a 12-rounder against Paulie Malignaggi in Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Khan is still only 23 and like Ricky Hatton before him finds the lure of America irresistible – a 23-year-old topping the bill at Madison Square Garden! Khan was once content with topping the bill at the Bolton Arena, a stone's throw from his own front door, but Bolton has come and gone and never again will Khan fight in his own hometown. De La Hoya does not 'do' Bolton.
Right now everything is new and fresh for young Khan, who can speed down the California freeways with the top down. The American way spells m-o-n-e-y and those with money, with nice homes and nice cars, are admired. Here, they are envied. Khan has found his own personal Heaven. De La Hoya calls and says Las Vegas next, the MGM Grand.
Firstly comes Malignaggi, a feather-fisted fellow from Brooklyn who talks a great fight and knows how to box but is unlikely to do much damage to the infamous Khan chin. Roach the coach chose him and will choose a succession of other respectable but light-hitting opponents for Khan over the next few years. Roach the coach is also manager, mentor, matchmaker and probably Khan's hero. Roach owns a gym in Hollywood where the Hollywood set stop by, work out, float around. Khan is still floating himself.
Give Khan an opponent without real strength and power, and Khan looks a million dollars. Give him an opponent who can punch, and he is likely to find himself taking a tumble. The day will dawn when even Roach slips, by which time America will surely jar with a bored Khan, sick of fans cheering the other man, sick of their way of doing things. Khan misses custard or marmalade or Match of the Day; he misses Bolton.