Khan and DeGale looking to shine

Will lightning strike twice this weekend in Las Vegas when Britain’s Amir Khan faces Argentina’s thunderous puncher Marcos Maidana as part of a Sky Box Office pay-per-view event on Saturday night?

The Bolton hero (right, with Maidana, image courtesy Golden Boy Promotions) defends his WBA light-welterweight title for the third time since outpointing Andreas Kotelnik (the only man who’s defeated Maidana) to claim the belt in July 2009, a remarkable achievement considering he was knocked out in the first round by Bredis Prescott just three fights earlier.

Further stoppage victories over dedicated Jew Dimtri Salita and former world champion Paul Malignaggi have sparked talk among promoters Golden Boy that Khan will soon be ready for the likes of pound for pounders Floyd Mayweather, training partner Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.

But some observers are still unconvinced that the champion who turned 24 earlier this week has the chin needed to thrive at the top level, and have criticised him for facing light hitters since his undefeated record was shattered at lightweight. Moving up a division has been key to Amir’s swift progress and he readily admits that ‘it was killing him to make the 9st 9lbs weight limit.’

Fighters can rapidly lose punch resistance when weight drained and with his muscular frame it seemed the natural step but the questions still remain.

Khan to his credit is keen to prove the doubters and confirm that the Prescott nightmare was just a harsh learning curve which prompted the moving of his training camp to America under the guidance of great trainer Freddie Roach.

Maidana, with 27 knockouts in 29 wins certainly has the fistic power that calls for Khan’s speed and head movement to be in top gear but if he doesn’t have success early in the fight I see him becoming frustrated. The opening rounds are crucial for a Maidana triumph but Khan will probably box and move while jabbing the challenger as he comes forward.

By the halfway stage Khan should have built up a substantial points lead and the one-track minded Maidana will then to do well to hold off a Khan stoppage by the tenth round.

Back on these shores a British super-middleweight clash between champion Paul Smith and challenger James DeGale looks the pick among a packed (and, on paper, mainly uncompetitive, not PPV-worthy - Ed.) bill at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.

Smith will enjoy home advantage against the 2008 Olympic gold medallist as 11,000 thousand cheer him on in what looks to be both men’s toughest battle to date. While the Smith and DeGale families have shared a close friendship through James and Paul’s brother Steven in the amateur ranks, there is also a great contrast in their experience and personalities.

The 24 year-old DeGale has only been a professional since Feb 2009 and has quickly notched up eight wins including six stoppages while enjoying heavy publicity, but Smith the older man at 28 has quietly applied his trade losing just once in 30 fights and captured the coveted Lonsdale belt in 2009.

Smith has gone eight or more rounds on seven occasions while Londoner DeGale has yet to complete five rounds so do you go for the seasoned professional or ‘the shining star?’

I favour DeGale to have the edge in speed and class, but Smith is able to make it interesting by forcing him to go into unknown territory and possibly the full 12 rounds.

At the final bell DeGale’s hands should be raised.

Other 'highlights' on the show include undefeated Welshman Nathan Cleverly taking on late substitute Najib Mohammedi for the WBO interim light-heavyweight title. The 23 year-old Cleverly 20-0 has excelled in the ring by already winning British, Commonwealth and European titles, while his classroom skills have been rewarded with a maths degree.

Cleverly is relentless in his work-rate and will break down Mohammedi by the eighth round. 2011 should see him crowned as a world champion.

Liverpool’s Commonwealth light-heavyweight ruler Tony Bellew fancies his chances against Cleverly and it’s certainly a match for the future but first he must carefully dispatch cruiserweight Prizefighter winner Ovill McKenzie.

Undefeated in 14 fights Bellew, who was dropped by novice Bob Ajisafe and struggled badly, may be only the second man to stop ‘the up-setter’ who will struggle at a weight he hasn’t made in almost four years. 

Meanwhile, Birmingham’s Matthew Macklin and Sheffield’s Kell Brook are two men also hungry to join the world stage. Macklin defends his European middleweight title against a former world title challenger in Spain’s Ruben Varon.

Although 2010 has seen Macklin 27-2 regain the European belt it has been a frustrating year for him following British champion Darren Barker’s September pullout through injury and his failure to secure a world title shot. Macklin admitted to feeling strange when not experiencing pre-fight nerves last time out and lacked his spark.

But there won’t be any slip up here. Bigger and better opportunities await him.

Brook puts his WBO inter-continental welterweight strap on the line but don’t expect yet another late replacement challenger Philip Kotey to take it.

Brook and Macklin could also be two more who join David Haye, Amir Khan and Carl Froch as British world champions next year.