Marcos Maidana a real threat to Amir Khan & his crown -- Mirror

By Barry Mcguigan, Mirror.co.uk

The WBA has thrown a serious spanner into Amir Khan's New Year plans with the order to defend his world light welterweight crown against Marcos Maidana.

The Argentine is a threshing machine, a dangerous puncher who has cleaned out early all but one of his opponents.

His one reverse came against Khan victim Andreas Kotelnik on a split decision, but that didn't necessarily surprise me.

Kotelnik is not the kind of fighter you can bounce out easily.

He is like a beetle, you can stamp on him all day and he just keeps coming.

Maidana is very heavy handed, but Kotelnik tucks up beautifully. He is a great counter puncher and has never been stopped.

Khan outthought as much as out-fought Kotelnik to win the belt. It was a superb technical display.

It will require similar discipline to see off Maidana if not the same technique.

Assuming he takes the fight, of course. Kotelnik has not shown the same vulnerability around the whiskers that Khan has.

The Breidis Prescott lump hammer remains a definitive statement until Khan proves otherwise.

He didn't get the chance against Dmitriy Salita. He will against this fellow.

It is a tricky position for trainer Freddie Roach to assess.

I suspect that Khan's punch resistance is more robust at 140lb.

Khan has made great strides under Roach, who has tightened his defence without detracting from his natural speed and balance.

I have the utmost respect for Roach, whose reading of opponents is second to none.

If he sanctions the bout that will tell me a lot about Khan's development as a world champion.

I amglad the decision is not mine to make. Maidana tracks down opponents relentlessly.

If Victor Ortiz - a fearsome hitter - can't take him out, I don't think Khan has the power to do that either.

Khan has the ability to outbox him but can he keep Maidana off h i m f o r 12 rounds? That's the big dilemma.

Khan also likes to have a go. Can he be disciplined for 12 rounds without going for the big shot that blew Salita out of Newcastle? Khan applied himself beautifully against Kotelnik, but he did not have what Maidana brings coming back at him.

It is awkward because I'm pretty sure promoter Frank Warren and Roach would not have looked at Maidana without being pushed.

I know I wouldn't. Khan could of course sidestep the bout, but that would leave him open to flak from those who doubt his defensive pedigree.

Maidana, 26, is not a smaller guy coming up, he is not an ageing fighter on the down slope of his career. He is a dangerous, tough opponent.

And he is the kind of opponent that history has shown represents the greatest threat to Khan.

That said, we have to invest in the idea that Khan is getting better. He is twice as fast as Maidana with superior movement.

Ortiz had Maidana down in the first. Apart from an early-career disqualification, Ortiz was unbeaten. Though he was also down, he was the favourite to win.

The fight did not progress beyond the sixth. Let's just say Maidana was surprised to win so early.

He will fancy his chances against Khan - which at world level is how it should be.

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Source: mirror.co.uk