When it comes
to the Welterweight division there is little doubt that the two main marquee
attractions are Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Both Mayweather and
Pacquiao have been at the top of most pound for pound debates for several
years, but more importantly when it comes to the Welterweight and even the Jr.
Middleweight divisions both are the big money draws that all opponents vie for
an opportunity to fight.
Former world
champions Amir Khan and Luis Collazo are no exception. Khan the former unified
world Jr. Welterweight champion, who reigned over the division for three years
between 2009 and 2012 has become one of the sport’s rising stars. Khan however,
has had to deal with adversity that some might argue has derailed his standing
among the sport’s pound for pound debates.
Khan, despite
suffering some setbacks has shown the ability to persevere. Some will remember
Khan suffering a first round knockout loss at the hands of Breidis Prescott in September
2008 in fifty-four seconds. Under circumstances where most would be discouraged
and some fighters have found it difficult to bounce back, Khan persevered going
on to win the WBA world title in the Jr. Welterweight division by scoring a twelve
round unanimous decision over Andreas Kotelnik in 2009.
Khan went on
to successfully defend and partially unify his title with the IBF Jr.
Welterweight world title five times before having to deal with further
adversity in back-to-back fights with Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia. Khan
would lose the IBF portion of his title to Peterson in December 2011 in what
was a closely fought battle, but was reinstated as WBA champion after Peterson
failed a post-fight drug test as he tested positive for a banned substance.
Khan would then face undefeated WBC champion Danny Garcia in July 2012.
In that fight
Khan suffered knockdowns in the third and fourth rounds before the fight was
stopped in round four. After suffering two setbacks, Khan would again show the
ability to bounce back returning to the ring later that year to stop Jr.
Welterweight contender Carlos Molina in ten rounds.
In his last
fight Khan survived being knocked down in the fourth round to win a hard-fought
twelve round unanimous decision over former Lightweight world champion Julio
Diaz. Although Khan’s rise up the sport’s mythical pound for pound ratings may
have been derailed by suffering those setbacks, he is still a star of the sport
and should be considered a threat to anyone in the Welterweight division.
As much as
Khan’s ability to overcome adversity has become a key component throughout his
career, the same holds true for former Welterweight world champion Luis
Collazo. As this observer has said in the past Collazo might be more known as a
fighter who has had decisions go against him in notable fights throughout his
career, despite the fact that he is a former world champion.
Despite
losing to Ricky Hatton, Andre Berto, and Shane Mosley on the marquee stage of
the sport over the course of his career, Collazo has persevered. After
suffering a loss to Freddy Hernandez in 2011, Collazo went on to win three
straight fights leading up to his encounter with former Welterweight world
champion Victor Ortiz in January of this year. Collazo brought the fight to a
sudden and dramatic conclusion when a perfectly timed counter right hook
dropped Ortiz late in the second round.
A sudden and
perhaps unexpected knockout win that has reestablished Collazo in the
Welterweight division. As I said in covering that fight in January if there was
something to take away from that fight that may be inspiring is that
perseverance can indeed pay off. Both Amir Khan and Luis Collazo are examples
of that.
In addition
to being former world champions both Khan and Collazo share something else in
common, the desire to not only reach the top of the mountain once again by
becoming world champions, but also the desire in wanting a fight against Floyd
Mayweather. For a time it appeared as though Khan would get the opportunity to
face Mayweather so much so that he pulled out of a scheduled fight against
former two-division world champion Devon Alexander.
The potential
of a fight between Mayweather and Khan seemed to be somewhat enhanced by an
online poll conducted by Mayweather that saw Khan receive more votes than the
recently crowned WBA Welterweight world champion and former Khan opponent
Marcos Maidana, who Mayweather eventually decided to fight on May 3rd in Las
Vegas. Khan however, may have received the next best opportunity as it was
announced earlier this week that he will face Collazo on the Mayweather-Maidana
undercard.
Although some
may feel that Amir Khan was pushed aside by Mayweather opting to face Maidana
instead of him, in all truth and honesty Mayweather choosing to face Maidana
was the most logical option for Mayweather at this stage of his career. Maidana
after all did score a dominant victory over Adrien Broner, Mayweather’s friend
who has been called Mayweather’s protege by some in December of last year to
win the WBA title. It was only natural to assume after that fight last December
that there would be significant demand for Mayweather to face Maidana with the
intriguing storyline of whether Maidana could duplicate his performance by
defeating Mayweather with the undefeated Mayweather looking to avenge his
friend’s defeat.
Mayweather’s
choice however, by choosing to fight Maidana now opens the door for another
intriguing storyline as both Khan and Collazo have vocally expressed their
desire to face him. The fact that now Khan and Collazo will face each other as
the co-main event on the Mayweather-Maidana card presents a perfect opportunity
for both fighters to make their case to face the winner of that fight. This
would seem logical seeing as Collazo is currently ranked third in the world in
the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) rankings and Khan being ranked number two
by the World Boxing Council (WBC).
When you also
take into the equation that the three fighters who are currently ranked ahead
of Khan and Collazo, Paul Malignaggi and Keith Thurman in the WBA rankings and
Luis Carlos Abregu in the WBC rankings all have scheduled fights in the next
month. What this amounts to in the often political and often confusing
landscape of the sport and it’s rankings is an elimination bout between Khan
and Collazo to see who will be in line to face the Mayweather-Maidana winner.
Although I am
very much looking forward to providing further analysis about this fight as May
3rd draws closer, an argument should be made that no matter who should emerge
victorious between Khan and Collazo, both are likely to be in good position for
potential big money fights in the Welterweight division in the long-term
picture. A testament for two fighters who have made careers out of their
ability to overcome adversity and persevere.
“And That’s
The Boxing Truth.”
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