"I love using Amir because when Manny can handle his speed, then he's sharp," - ROACH

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-...acquiao-to-beat-ricky-hatton-115875-21201964/

No sooner had he brilliantly beaten Marco Antonio Barrera to get his own career back on track, Amir Khan was plotting to derail Ricky Hatton's.

Khan has revealed he will answer trainer Freddie Roach's plea to jet back out to Los Angeles to spar with Manny Pacquiao ahead of his May 2 showdown with the Hitman.

The lightweight does not feel he is being disloyal towards his pal Hatton and says it is right he helps out his new best mate.

"I'd like to help Manny because he's a good friend," said the Athens silver medallist. "It's good to have someone like him to look up to. I spoke to him straight after the fight. He watched it in America and is over the moon for me.

"The sparring would do me good as well. It would help me to learn much confidence-wise just to spar with him. If I can handle him and spar with him, it's going to take me on to the next level."

Roach is thrilled Khan has agreed to return to his Wild Card gym once his cuts heal next month because he says the lightweight sensation is the only fighter who can match Pacquiao's quick hands.

"I love using Amir because when Manny can handle his speed, then he's sharp," said the American. "And when you're sharp you can deal with anybody."

Hatton may not be so chuffed and he has always regarded Khan as a mate since they became buddies after the 2004 Olympics.

But the Pac Man rather than the Hitman is Khan's inspiration now and Roach believes the Bolton fighter can go on to emulate the Filipino after defeating Barrera.

"This is Amir's first step towards stardom," he said.

"When Manny beat Barrera that was the first step for him.

It's the same for Amir and he's my next superstar."

Khan's performance against the legendary Mexican in front of a sell-out 22,000 crowd at Manchester's MEN Arena was virtually flawless.

He used his jab, picked his shots, moved well and - most importantly - kept his hands up.

He showed a new maturity by fighting with his head instead of being sucked into a brawl.

Barrera couldn't cope with his lightning combinations.

Khan, 22, never lost a round and when referee Dave Parris stopped the fight in the fifth on the advice of the doctor because of a bad gash above Barrera's left eye caused by a clash of heads in the first, the judges had scored the contest 50-44 and 50-45 (twice) to him.

Barrera, 35, was furious at losing on a technical decision, claiming the fight should have been stopped in the first and declared a non-contest.

He refused to give Khan any credit, saying: "I didn't even feel his punches. He may be fast, but they did nothing to me."

Questions over Khan's chin remain unanswered, but they can wait until another day and Khan was understandably delighted as he savoured the best win of his pro career.

"This win is going to build up my name in the world," he said, sporting a few scars of battle of his own.

Khan's next fight will be in June and promoter Frank Warren will work on making it a world-title fight, possibly against WBA king Paulus Moses.