AMIR KHAN NAZ VOW

SMACK IN THE MOUTH - Marco Antonio Barrera connects with a left in the face of Naseem Hamed in 2001

I'll beat Barrera to avenge Prince's defeat

FIGHTING FIT - Amir Khan

By STEVE LILLIS, 07/03/2009

AMIR KHAN has sworn revenge on Marco Antonio Barrera for the beating the Mexican legend gave his idol and pal Naseem Hamed.

Barrera sent Hamed plunging towards retirement when he became the only man to beat him professionally in April 2001, winning on points and shattering an aura of invincibility.

Khan faces the toughest test of his fighting life when he meets Barrera for the WBA international and WBO intercontinental lightweight titles in Manchester on Saturday.

Naz, 35, fought just once after losing to three-weight world champ Barrera. Then, the former world featherweight champion, was booed after outpointing Manuel Calvo and now lives a reclusive life in Surrey keeping contact with most friends by phone.

Bolton's Khan, 22, said: "I spoke to Naz before the training camp started. He was confident for me to take the fight and beat Barrera.

"He is a good friend of mine, a fighter I looked up to, so to beat Barrera would be revenge for Naz and the British crowd."

The belts on the line at the MEN Arena are pretty meaningless but the 12-rounder, being televised live on Sky Box Office, will prove whether Khan is a pretender or contender.

Khan, who was two when Barrera had his first professional fight in November, 1989, promised: "For this fight I am going to pace myself and be thinking about everything. You will see a new Amir Khan.

"You won't see the old mistakes I used to make. It is going to be perfection. I think everyone knows I am a warrior. I have got the heart, strength, speed, power and I am game for a fight."

New trainer Freddie Roach has been given the task of making Khan's dodgy chin - which was brutally exposed by Breidis Prescott in 54 seconds six months ago - bomb-proof.

FLAT OUT - Amir Khan cannot get up and is counted out against Breidis Prescott

That is Khan's only loss in 20 contests and Roach told Sport of the World: "You have to realise your strengths and weaknesses and you have to adapt to that and Amir is adapting really well.

"Guys with bad chins have to learn how to protect theirs and he has the tools to do that."

Khan, who has sparred about 100 rounds in Roach's Los Angeles gym, added: "Before losing to Prescott my hunger was fading. Even though the opposition was getting tougher I was still walking through fights.

"When you are winning fights you never look at your mistakes and bad points. It was only when the Prescott defeat happened that we sat around the table and looked at the bad things.

FREDDIE ROACH - confident

"We didn't just look at the fight, but the things outside the ring. I stayed up late the night before and there were other distractions.

"Moving to Los Angeles for training is one of the best things I have ever done. I am away from all the distractions. In England I'm known everywhere. In Los Angeles hardly anyone knows me apart from the boxers and I am treated as a normal person.

"People like Manny Pacquiao train in the Wild Card gym. Who is Amir Khan compared to Manny? That gives you the hunger back, makes you think what you want to do in life, train harder and that is what it has done to me."

There have been suggestions among gym rats that Barrera has blown his fortune. He insists wanting to become the first Mexican to win four world titles is all the motivation he needs to beat Khan.

Barrera has held titles at super-bantamweight, featherweight and super-featherweight and has been beaten just six times in 72 contests.

The former law student, 35, who plans to visit friend Ricky Hatton when he arrives this morning, said: "I took this fight because I believe that when I beat a guy in front of his own crowd it's a double victory."

To order Khan v Barrera on Sky Box Office call 08442 410 888.

Your comments

This article has 25 comments

Amir Khan...WINS again..!!!
yyyyyeeeeeeeeessssssss!
Go Khan!

All Yhew Critics Out There...Y'all Jhus Jealous...

By <3HugsLuvKisses<3.. Posted April 1 2009 at 11:14 AM.

Well done to Amir!!

He has definitely achieved his winning goal and proved to his critics and fans he is a true World Class Boxer. Amir has a bright future ahead and this is one of many to come successes in British history.

Good Luck and God Bless!!

By Iesha.. Posted March 16 2009 at 11:20 AM.

Oh dear, I just heard Barrera got beat. At his peak he would have probably done the biz, but Khan is a very good fighter, despite what his critics say.
It is sad when you get people who have 'tunnel vision' mentality commenting on such issues.
Barrera was excellent, but it's time to move on...
Like Ricky Hatton, we have another jewel is the crown of British Boxing!
Well done Amir.

By Jon Ahmad.. Posted March 16 2009 at 12:45 AM.

Now what do say now he has won! Now who looks a prat. Those people who have slagged him off, are just jealous bums who have done crap in their lifes,yes you know who you! LOSERS!!!!!

By TIM.. Posted March 15 2009 at 4:39 PM.

amir khan is by-far the best boxer i have ever seen and WILL be a great WORLD CHAMPION and LEGEND ....i do beleive this ,from myself..a kickboxer to you a boxer,from fighter to fighter,you are pure class...all the best mate

By GEORDIE MYERS.. Posted March 14 2009 at 11:49 PM.

C May you have got it spot on.Naz was a nobody.Kahn has been shown to be the same.

By ian lyall.. Posted March 12 2009 at 9:26 AM.

khan must be dreaming to beat barrera

By espinosa.. Posted March 10 2009 at 12:03 AM.

nazen didnt fight a filipino boxer in his career, you have to beat a filipino boxer to be undisputed

By espinosa.. Posted March 10 2009 at 12:01 AM.

Kev

Although you can't pack muscle onto your chin you can build your neck to absorb harder punches.

Khan has speed, power and height/reach advantage and provided he can stay confident and take the fight to Barrera I reckon he will win. It will be difficult but it is not impossible.

By Mohammad Samir .. Posted March 9 2009 at 1:36 PM.

Amir khan is the most exciting & talented boxer out there.His made mistakes in the past but i truely believe his going to outbox barrera & make example out of him.khan is still young & on fire.

By naz.. Posted March 8 2009 at 11:33 PM.

All you doom & gloomers & knockers....
Khan is great to watch because he is excellent offensively but seems to have a glass chin. When he faces a class opponent he needs to knock out or be knocked out - thats what makes all his fights exciting! I have no doubt khan can take barrera out, Can't wait and good luck to the bolton lad.

By kev m .. Posted March 8 2009 at 6:31 PM.

Scott. rickey hatton ring any bells 2 u. u now nothin about boxing at all.

By LEE .. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:55 PM.

barrerra totaly outboxed nassem made him look v average i more round hed have knocked him out hope barrera wins then retires hes an all time legend

By c may .. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:33 PM.

Why do the english always hype there boxers like khan,nazem,bruno and hatton.They are all muck,as soon as they go to USA to fight it's lights out because the Mexican & US kill them.WAKE UP IDIOT'S BARRERA will retire another english crap boxer

By Dave.. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:47 PM.

look at the hate for amir khan doesnt matter what you people think his a professional boxer end of the day his earnt his money and fame.

By kamran.. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:10 PM.

khan is chiny maybe but you don't win a olympic medal if you dont have huge talent. his twenty two compare him to frankie gavin there randomly about the same age and look at the difference in class. david haye lost a fight but his bounced back and know is challenging for world titles. there is huge expectation of khan delivering but you don't realize his just in his early twenties. we will see in the barrera fight if his rectifed his mistakes. until then shhhhhhhhhhhhh.

By kamran.. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:07 PM.

I'll give Khan the benefit of the doubt- hope he wins...we need sum UK glory.

By Adam.. Posted March 8 2009 at 12:25 PM.

Lee, where do you coach?

I used to train with Billy Ward in Glasgow, who had dealings with Craig Docherty - a good wee fighter - and I think Barrera will hammer Khan - what's your credentials?

By Scott.. Posted March 8 2009 at 11:31 AM.

give him a chance he may surprise you.barrera is past his best. He will at least give him a good fight

By Colin Pilkindton.. Posted March 8 2009 at 10:24 AM.

Khan is just a hype sooner or later he will be put into permanent retirement.Latin America has a lot of decent boxers who would pallet Amir and send him to the nearest retirement home...

By forbes.. Posted March 8 2009 at 10:02 AM.

Khan is over rated & over hyped by all his countrymen. Our Wullie Limond showed that Khans mince and could have battered him but had a roaring toothache that night and couldnt be papped fighting. Khan will get hammered. FACT

By Movlyn Morrin.. Posted March 8 2009 at 9:23 AM.

Amir does not have the power to hurt Barrera but Barrera does.

Amir is not the most exciting boxing out there, that is an insult to people like Haye, Pacman.

Personally i think Barrera needs to connect once and that would be lights out for Khan.

Will not go past 8 rounds.

Haye is the best Hope Britain has in boxing.

By gags.. Posted March 8 2009 at 9:02 AM.

If u know owt about boxing barrera will not last past 7 rounds. FACT. boxing coach.

By lee.. Posted March 8 2009 at 7:00 AM.

Kev, you are a jealous twit.
Khan is the most exciting boxer out there.

By AH.. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:46 AM.

you cant put musle on your chin khan is the most over-rated fighter in britian he has fought bums and when he has been caught on the chin he has went down like a sack of spuds he believed all the hype about himself and now looks a prat

By kev.. Posted March 8 2009 at 12:14 AM.

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