Khan ready to mount strong defense

09/06/2008

MANCHESTER — Amir Khan hopes his 19th professional fight and first with new trainer Jorge Rubio will offer a strong argument for his defence on Saturday.

Being deposited on the canvas for the third time in his professional career in his last fight against Michael Gomez has prompted the unbeaten English lightweight to hire a new trainer.

That scare also convinced Frank Warren, the British promoter, that Khan is not ready yet to challenge the likes of Nate Campbell, the American who defends three versions of the world lightweight title against Joan Guzman, of the Dominican Republic, in Mississippi on September 13.

So, instead, Khan is seeking to extend his unblemished record against Breidis Prescott, of Colombia, with the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Intercontinental lightweight title on the line at the MEN Arena in Manchester. After sacking Oliver Harrison earlier this year, Khan used another British trainer, Dean Powell, in his last fight in June during which the 2004 Olympic silver medallist’s defensive frailties were again exposed.

Gomez, a former British super-featherweight champion who is past his prime, managed to floor Khan, who had previously been knocked down by Scotland’s Willie Limond and France’s Rachid Drilzane.

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