Khan can be TV star
Amir Khan's star potential in the United States received a big endorsement on Monday from an influential American television executive.
Britain's Khan, 23, made a big impression on his US debut at Madison Square Garden on Saturday as he successfully defended his WBA light-welterweight title with an 11th-round stoppage of former world champion Paulie Malignaggi. It was also Khan's debut on the USA's leading boxing channel, HBO, whose senior vice president of sports programming Kery Davis was more than impressed by the Bolton boxer's performance.
"I thought that was a terrific performance from Amir," Davis said. "He came out in the first round and he was explosive and automatically you could see his talent and his speed and his punching power. By his own admission he made a couple of mistakes, he knows that, but I think for a debut, coming off the ordeal that he went through with the visa situation in Vancouver, he did quite well and I'm very pleased."
HBO's boxing chief also said Khan's style would be attractive to his network's viewers having been showcased so effectively against as slick a performer as Malignaggi.
He said: "He has an extremely intelligent style. Speed sells, power sells, explosiveness sells and he's got all of those things.
"I was a little surprised in the first round that he was faster than Paulie and I think his speed even surprised Paulie at the beginning and he's a very fast fighter."
After sealing the victory, Khan immediately set his sights on unifying the 140-pound division, which is stacked with fellow rising stars such as WBO belt holder Timothy Bradley, WBC/IBF champion Devon Alexander, Argentina's Marcos Maidana and Khan's Golden Boy Promotions stable mate and friend Victor Ortiz.
HBO's Davis endorsed Khan's star potential and said he looked forward to a thrilling series of fights at 140 pounds and beyond for the major players in the division.
"It's early but he has the ingredients," he said. "He has the charisma, he has speed, he has power, he's an explosive fighter.
"There's a lot of talent at 140 pounds and he is certainly in the mix and I think what this portends to is some exciting match-ups down the road."
Date published :
17 May 2010 - 18:38:33
