I can upset odds
BRITISH fighters have been here before. All the odds stacked against them away from home, few giving them a chance. Lloyd Honeyghan, Tyson Fury and John H Stracey, to name just three, were expected to fail but stunned the sport. Now it is Amir Khan’s turn to cause a shock having moved up from welterweight to take on Saul ‘ Canelo’ Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title at the T- Mobile Arena here in Las Vegas. If you head to the sportsbook at the MGM Grand, you will get generous odds on the Bolton man leaving the Strip tomorrow with the green- and- gold belt and British bookmakers see him as an 11- 4 outsider. But Khan is naturally confident ahead of what is the biggest fight of his life . “There have been some great achievements in the past by British fighters, like when Lloyd Honeyghan beat Don Curry or even recently when Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko,” he said. “Beating Canelo would be one of the very best because I’m moving up two weight divisions to take on a young, hungry world champion in his prime. I’m seen by most as the underdog in this fight but that will help me.
“I want to make history and create a legacy. Flying the British flag out there and taking heart from previous great victories by British fighters is only going to spur me on.
“Being an underdog, when people don’t expect you to win anything, brings out the best in you.”
This is the first time Khan has been an underdog since 2004, when he went up against Cuban superstar Mario Kindelan in the Olympic final in Athens.
He came up short that day at just 17 but will wake up today at his Mandalay Bay base here with the same feeling he had back then.
Khan against the world, against all logic too it seems with the size and power of Alvarez expected to be too much for him in his first fight above 10st 7lb.
“I always believe in myself,” he said. “I never walk into a fight thinking I can’t win it, otherwise I wouldn’t take it.”
This is Khan’s first world title fight since he suffered the third defeat of his career against Danny Garcia in 2012 and surrendered the WBA light- welterweight title.
He has missed being a world champion, especially at a time when British boxing is booming with 11 fighters holding titles.
“I always like to achieve as much as I can, I will keep going until I win another world title,” he said.
“I know I can. I can take the easiest route or the hardest route to winning a world title. The route I am taking is the hardest possible.
“I want to be remembered for winning these world titles.”