Khan: I’ve got to up my game
BOLTON ACE ADMITS HE SWITCHED OFF IN POINTS WIN AGAINST VARGAS
AMIR Khan admits he would have to massively step up his game if he secures a showdown with either Manny Pacquiao or Kell Brook in his next fight.
The Bolton boxer picked up a unanimous points decision win against Samuel Vargas in Birmingham on Saturday, but was knocked down during the second round.
Some observers were critical of Khan’s performance, and he is aware that he will have to improve if he takes on a world-class opponent.
“Whether it is Manny Pacquiao or Kell Brook, it is going to be massive so I cannot make the same mistakes,” said Khan.
“It was a wake-up call when I got knocked down and I quickly got back on my game plan.
“I am glad I got the 12 rounds in and I’m glad it happened now so I am so much sharper for the next fight, because I know it is going to be a big one.
“With the Vargas fight I read everywhere that it would be a walk in the park and I would knock him out easily, so I started believing that myself.
“I know I’m older and experienced and I shouldn’t be believing that, but that was still in my mind.
“Those are the fights that become the hardest fights. If it was against Pacquiao I’d be on my A-game because I know I have to be so smart and sharp.
“I will be back in camp at the end of the month because I think the longer you leave it, your body will just go stale.
“I am 31 now and it is harder to lose the weight as you saw at the weigh-in when I had to take my boxers off.”
It’s been a long career for Khan, who made his professional debut in 2005 after winning a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
That medal helped to pave the way by securing funding for amateur boxing from that point onwards, and Khan has reflected on his success during that time.
“As soon as I qualified for the Olympics and I won that medal, Sport England got £4m for the next four years,” he said.
“If I didn’t get the medal they would have probably scrapped that funding because the team wasn’t doing anything special.
“I could have been stubborn and turned professional straight away because I had some big deals on the table, but I waited because the amateur coaches told me if I turn over then they aren’t going to get the funding. I like to say I was one of the guys that put boxing back on the map in the UK.”