By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
The credit was nowhere more glowing, however, than from officials of Home Box Office, the all-powerful television giants who hold the clout to make or break the biggest fighting names in the US.
Khan impressed greatly. There is nothing like seeing a boxer live and Khan did not disappoint. Kerry Davis, the senior vice president of sports programming for Home Box Office was highly impressed by the 23-year-old Briton’s performance.
“That was a terrific performance by Amir. He came out there in the first round and instantly in that first round you could see his speed, and his talent and his punching power," Davis told Telegraph Sport. "For a debut, and coming off the ordeal he had with visa situation, he did very well for a debut performance.
"He has an extremely telegenic style. Speed sells; power sells. And he has both in abundance. I was surprised that he was faster than Paulie [Malignaggi]. Paulie adjusted after a few rounds but his speed even so is very impressive. He’s very fast."
Davis can see several lucrative and thrilling match-ups ahead, in a 140lb division stacked with talent, all young, and all of whom want to prove themselves as last man standing. "It portends to some very exciting match-ups down the road, whether that is [Marcus] Maidana, [Timothy] Bradley or [Devon] Alexander [with Khan, and each other]. They are fights I would pay to see as a boxing fan.
"You need dance partners for great fighters. In the welterweight division, we have Mayweather, Pacquiao, Mosley, Cotto, and at light welterweight we have these young exciting fighters coming through. There a lot of good fights out there over the next two to three years."
Even Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella, was fulsome in his praise of Khan. DiBella's view is worth noting. Before he became a boxing promoter, he was an HBO employee himself, running its boxing and influencing its decision-making.
"Khan could be the best fighter in the world in five years' time. He might lose a couple of fights, because of his style, but he has all the qualities for greatness. Great speed, athleticism, hunger and ambition, charisma and looks...he has it all. He's a real talent," he said.
It may only have been the theater in the Garden, rather than the full arena, yet Khan’s performance was worthy of a greater stage. Those nights will come. HBO’s ‘Boxing After Dark’, the US equivalent of Sky Sports showing boxing on their programmed channels, will have given the US public an appetite for the former silver medallist who holds the World Boxing Association light-welterweight crown.
It may have been a late, late show in the UK, on ITV1, but Khan showed that under Freddie Roach, he is planting through his punches. He also showed he is still raw in some aspects too, leaving openings that a heavy puncher may be able to exploit as he presses forward with his jab. Khan also showed more use of punching from angles by dipping and throwing hooks to the body. He is, according to Roach, still a work in progress.
There are plans underway to have Khan back in the ring in ten weeks’ time, in either London or Manchester. Trainer Roach does not believe it is necessarily too soon to bring him back to work. "I don't think Amir will suffer burnout. He's 23, really hungry and wants to get in there and prove himself. We'll see how he is in the next few weeks."
Richard Shaefer, CEO of Golden Boy promotions, was delighted with the entire show. Schaefer told Telegraph Sport: "We have a July 31 show at the Mandalay Bay when Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz meet each other and maybe there is a possibility Amir could fight on a dual telecast from the UK.
"Amir wants to fight before Ramadan, so we could get a fight in and it could even be that the winners' of those two fighteers go on to meet each other. We will probably look at a few possible opponents for Amir for his next challenge."
At present, it is thought that Marcos Maidana and Michael Katsidis, who stopped Londoner Kevin Mitchell inside three rounds at Upton Park on Saturday night to retain the interim WBO lightweight belt, are being approached to meet Khan.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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