Former junior welterweight world titleholder Amir ‘King’ Khan 324 (20) is out to prove his critics wrong when he takes on Samuel Vargas 29-3-2 (14) at Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, England this Saturday night.
It will be Khan’s second fight back after almost two-years on the sidelines.
“I like to prove people wrong. I’ve been written off but I always come back,” Khan said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“I hope I can inspire young people to believe it is possible to pick themselves up no matter how severe the setback.”
Khan knows a thing or two about picking himself up after a loss.
In May 2016 the former unified junior welterweight champion moved up to 155-pounds to challenge Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 49-1-2 (34) for the WBC middleweight title. Although he boxed well in the opening rounds Alvarez began catching up to him with his heavier shots in the mid-rounds, knocking him out cold in the sixth.
The 31-year-old Bolton boxer has long since moved on and still has his sights set on a big-money match-up against ageing Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao 60-7-2 (39), a fight that would likely be hosted somewhere in the East. If that bout doesn’t take place, a stadium fight with local rival Kell Brook 37-2 (26) remains an option – if the 32-year-old from Sheffield can get down to welterweight.
“They are both massive fights,” says Khan. “With Manny it could be this winter in the Far East or Middle East. With Kell, maybe a stadium fight next spring. Since he is on record saying he will come back to 147lb there is no reason that shouldn’t happen. I never duck anyone.”
With the welterweight division stacked with talent including WBA champion Keith Thurman, WBO kingpin Terence Crawford and IBF boss Errol Spence Jr, Khan says he would welcome the opportunity to test himself against anyone of them.
“It is my ambition to win a third maybe fourth world title and I’d go back to America to fight any of
them. I always want to prove myself against the best,” Khan said.
The Athens Olympic silver medallist believes that changing trainers to veteran American coach Joe Goossen has breathed new life into his 13-year pro career.
“I feel I am at the fittest, fastest and strongest I have ever been,” said Khan. “So although I’m happy in many ways with everything I’ve achieved already, there is more to come.
“There is no question of me retiring. But when I do I hope the least my critics will do is look back and say, ‘you know, that Amir Khan wasn’t a bad fighter after all’.”
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