Boxing Betting / Alex Steedman / 09 March 2009 / Leave a comment

Can Amir Khan take a punch? What does Marco Antonio Barrera have left? Just two of the many questions which surround what could be one of the closest fought match-ups in recent British boxing history... Alex Steedman looks for the answers.

Back in the Spring of 2001, a hopeful teenager watched wide eyed as his Boxing hero strutted his stuff on the international stage. But the hero took a stuttering false step before a talented villain.

That young man was Amir Khan, the hero, none other than 'Prince' Naseem Hamed and the Villain, modern Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera. How the wheel turns; fate has a wicked sense of humour.

The story goes that -then amateur - Khan idolized Hamed and so took youthful spite against Barrera for bursting his hero's bubble and effectively sending the Sheffield star into retirement. But long forgotten grudges bear little on what is a pivotal career fight for Khan and possibly one of the best matches made in recent British boxing history.

Although I make Khan a slight favourite, it is effectively a 50/50 fight and one with several important and soon to be answered questions; Is Khan good enough? Does the young Englishman genuinely lack the ability to take a punch? At the age of 35, what does Barrera have left? Not easy issues to be dogmatic about but elements which will be central to the outcome of this fight.

As regards Khan's chin, he's been on his backside in 3 of 20 fights, so it doesn't look good. My own view is that it was more to do with balance than anything else against Michael Gomez (check how close his feet are to each other), Willie Limond caught him on the top of the head which can be a bingo spot for cerebral disorientation and the punches Breidis Prescott unleashed would have felled a horse. Khan somehow got up from the latter, twice.

I'm certainly not a paid up member of the Amir Khan 'has a solid chin' committee but his fragility in that department may be overplayed. And it should be noted that while Barrera is a sharp and accurate counter puncher, he has barely produced an authentic KO at top level in some time. His one genuine stoppage in the last four years was against the grossly over matched Mzonke Fana and that was at 130lbs.

In his prime, at least 3-4 years ago, Barrera would almost certainly have been too much for Khan. The evidence suggests his standards have slipped. Comeback wins over fighters with near negative equity tell us little but his 2007 points losses to both Pacquiao and Marquez are more revealing. Although Barrera had Marquez down, he constantly backed off and against Pacquiao, the Mexican was content just to hear the final bell. Admittedly those fighters are levels above where Khan is at and even a slightly faded 2009 version of Barrera might be too good for him... Maybe... So many ifs and buts.

'The Baby Faced assassin' says the carrot of becoming Mexico's first ever four weight World Champion spurs him on but he was already in line for a title shot, so this is an un-necessary risk. He believes he will win but it is a guaranteed pay day and you have to question the motives of his decision to come out of retirement two years on.

As well as Barrera's engine, this fight revolves around how Amir Khan goes about tackling the job. Under new coach, the excellent Freddie Roach, Khan looked improved against Oisin Fagan in December. Patient, more thoughtful in the attack and certainly more attentive to defence, in those two short rounds, the Bolton man appeared to have made a significant step. More may be required.

A lengthy training camp, including sparring with Boxing's current king Manny Pacquiao, is invaluable stuff and the first time presence of Roach in Khan's corner on Saturday night is symbolic as well as significant. His input as well as calm demeanour will be vital as Khan returns to the scene of the Prescott humbling.

With advantages in height, strength, speed and, perhaps significantly, youth, the fight is there for Khan to win. If he keeps Barrera on the end of that left jab. The wily Mexican will try to lure him in for the counters and draw him into a close quarters scrap where Khan has always looked his weakest.

Almost exactly eight years on, it is Marco Antonio Barrera who plays the villain once again. Will history repeat itself or do we have a new Prince to crown King? My feeling is that if he keeps his cool and simply boxes, Khan can win on points.

Steedo's Tip: Khan to win