Floyd fought for a world title at just 21, just 18 fights into his career, and made Genaro Hernandez look like a bum. He then dominated top contender Angel Manfredy in 2 rounds. Floyd is one of the most talented fighters ever.
Amir Khan struggled with handling pressure in the big moments of his career, putting Amir in that pressure cooker situation against one of the best fighters on planet earth would be a situation i couldn’t see Amir Khan being comfortable in. Amir could be given good instructions from his corner and then ignore his corners advise (classic Amir) getting embroiled in a fight he isn’t comfortable with. For as much as talent as Amir had I always found that he reverted back to his default setting when things weren’t quite going right for him, I thought Roach did a good job with reigning him in for a while but he even he couldn’t get Khan to box consistently to instructions and use his advantages without going on a tangent at the wrong time in his fights. Khan had ability but boxing is about levels, Floyd was mentally strong, tactically astute, comfortable for the majority of his career under pressure, had all the punches in his locker and a proven pedigree of fighting and figuring out elite opposition, even when not at his best. Khan on the other hand, flattered to deceive, when fought the best names he shared the ring with the majority of time lost, and never fulfilled his undoubted potential. Floyd is beating Khan everyday of the week and twice on a Sunday.
I could definitely see the appeal of this fight, back when it was on the agenda. There’s obviously no doubting who the superior boxer was, but stylistically it looked like a potentially twisted banana skin. Floyd, the guy with an incredible defence and reflexes, but not much pop at this stage. Khan, a good fighter with lightning fast hands. Floyd’s beat guys better than Khan, but I reckon at that stage of his career he would have been a difficult proposition.
In a h2h sense Khan matches up better because his biggest weakness, his chin, would be safer against Floyd, who must have hurt his hands somewhere around the Gatti fight. Khan has also been able to hold his own against all opponents until getting clipped. However, and I do think pbf is a drug cheat who wasted his career on dodging the best fighters, Khan is also not a heavy fisted relentless pressure fighter, which appears to be Floyd's main stylistic kryptonite. No one has been able to land combinations on Floyd, so Khan won't be landing 5 punch combos on anything but the air. It would have been a close fight, like most of pbf's fights. He does enough to stay close/in front and the judges do the rest if required.
I don't think you can honestly say Floyd doesn't have the power, he has a very solid stiff perfectly timed jab when he decides he needs to use it. I like Khan as he is exciting as he can get bowled over pretty quickly but does possess power himself not to mention that speed,,,Floyd would have had trouble with that speed, thats why he never fought a prime Khan...be honest...
Lol. Nope. Khan had blazing fast hands in his prime, but that's about it. Floyd has the edge in movement, timing, defense, and most importantly ring IQ.
I tend to agree with this assessment: Khan sweeps the first four rounds, and then Floyd starts to destroy Khan's rhythm and time him with his right cross, likely stopping Khan in the 7th or 8th.
Crucially, Khan has no real ring IQ himself, so wouldn't be able to figure out what adjustments needed to be made and how to make them if the usual six punch clusters weren't working and were being evaded or punished by the well timed counters of Floyd.
Floyd: I'll fight who wins this poll! Maidana or Khan! *Khan wins poll* Floyd: I-I-ll... f-f-fiiggght th-th-the l-l-loos-s-s-s-errr in-in..stead In M..Mmm....Maidana.
