I think to how strong I was when I was 18,19 compared to now at 23. You get natural man strentgh. I went to the gym allot at that age, and I rarley go now, but when I do go I can lift heavier weights that at 18. Surley punch resistence will also improve over time. If Carl Froch has been hit by Pascal when he was 20 he would of got KO'd?? I doubt Khan will ever have James Toneys whiskers but he will get a bit better right?
I think he will always be easy to put on the canvas due to his chin, aside from the Prescott fight though I don't he ever actually looked massively hurt (maybe my memory is failing me, seems like forever since the Limond fight but I'm sure he bounced straight back up), the shots Prescott hit him with I think would of put mostly everyone to sleep. What will be interesting to me is just how much of a bang he can take and still get back up, weight training and growth should also help him it seemed that way for Manny.
'Man Strength'- I like that! I agree with you mate I think you physically mature a lot more when you hit early 20s. As for Khan, a bloke who is 5 feet 10 inches who is making lightweight is an accident waiting to happen in my eyes. We'll see how he does at LWW. At the end of the day, is it that big an issue? Plenty of boxers have been dropped badly over the years and still gone on to be successful.
His leg and neck muscles may become better in helping him stay up, but your chin does not become better. In fact Khan's problem is getting hit on the top of the head, which really can not be turned around no matter what you do.
Which suggests one of two things 1/ He has deep seated neurological problems, 2/ He was dehydrated when he was decked 1 would be picked up in a scan (nothing untoward found) and 2 would be sorted by going up in weight...lets see what happens :good
I think you also get a bit more experienced at handling being buzzed, and buying recovery time... Benn and Bruno seemed to Khan's certainly getting plenty of practise, he'll be an expert in no time !
He's obviously maturing physically, and I'm sure he'll be stronger at the higher weight, but I'm not so sure the chin will improve. Like Herbie Hide, he'll always be one glancing blow away from getting sparked. I have a feeling Khan will get a rather unpleasant shock against Kotelnik. He's been found wanting at a lower level than this.....
lol Moving up in weight will help. I think the more times you get hit the better your punch resistence gets.........until you get hit to much that is.
Its not his chin though really thats his problem, its his head. Most of his knockdowns have been due to him getting hit on the temple / side of head and not his chin?
I think the increase in weight will help.... more pressure on the ground so therefore less chance of further slips.
I just think he's got a dodgy beard. Its a weakness but not an insurmountable one. De La Hoya was floored heavily by non-punchers at SF and moved up to prove he had a pretty good chin. Had Prescott have landed that shot on anyone they would have been in serious trouble. The fact that Khan was rocked by a jab was worrying but that could be as much to do with hydration as anything else. Khan will never be Marvin Hagler but the chin issue might be the making of him... And he's not turned into a Vlad and stunk houses out. He's just gone out and looked to get them before they get him.