From Paulie Malignaggi to Marcus Maidana - Amir Khan's five best wins
- Ryan Allan
- 13 December 2021
Ahead of his upcoming showdown against Kell Brook, Ryan Allan take a look at some of Amir Khan's biggest wins.
An Olympic Silver medallist and former world champion, Amir Khan, returns to the ring in February for his long-awaited grudge match with fellow Brit Kell Brook in what promises to be a memorable occasion in Manchester.
Ahead of their February showdown, we've decided to take a look back at Khan's decorated career, highlighting five of his best performances since turning professional all the way back in 2005.
Amir Khan vs Marco Antonio Barrera
Location: MEN Arena, Manchester England (March, 14 2009)
Up for grabs: WBA International lightweight title; WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title
An Olympic silver medallist at 17, Amir Khan was one of the hottest properties in British boxing in the late '00s.
That was until an unknown slugger by the name of Breidis Prescott delivered a punishing and stunning first-round KO of the Bolton-born fighting prodigy that seemed likely to put the brakes on any potential moves towards the upper echelons of the lightweight and junior welterweight divisions.
However, just six months on from that harrowing stoppage loss to the Colombian banger, Khan would step up into world-class territory with a bout against veteran fighting superstar Marco Antonio Barrera at the MEN Arena in Manchester.
Even at 35, the Mexican arrived on British shores boasting an imposing 65-6-1 fighting record and, while long past his best, was still expected to present a tough challenge for the inexperienced Khan, just 23 at the time of the bout.
Indeed, while the once baby-faced assassin was perhaps justifiably perceived as being far too long in the tooth, he remained a bonafide fighting legend.
Stopped just once in a glittering twenty-year career, the Mexican brought a suitcase full of experience to the affair and was still expected to give a potentially nervous Khan plenty of headaches.
However, in what would ultimately be viewed as something of a damp squib, Barrera would retire on his stool at the end of the fifth round, unable to continue following a dispiriting and largely ineffective effort during the opening five stanzas.
Khan, while yet to silence his many critics, had, at the very least, claimed a significant victory over a truly great champion, and while the bout did little to ease doubts over his oft-questioned chin, the Bolton youngster had ensured bigger and more rewarding bouts would lie just around the corner.
Amir Khan vs Andreas Kotelnik (July 18, 2009)
Location: MEN Arena, Manchester, England
Up for grabs: WBA light-welterweight title
Just four months on from his somewhat unsatisfying victory against Barrera, Khan's stock had risen and next on his agenda was a shot at WBA super lightweight titleholder Andreas Kotelnik who came into this bout having previously defended his title against a future Khan opponent in the shape of the hard-hitting Argentine Marcos Maidana.
Kotelnik, a somewhat unheralded champion having taken the title from Welshman Gavin Rees, was still a big step up for Khan, who, at 23 and stepping up to the 140lb weight class for the first time, remained somewhat wet behind the ears with just 21 fights on his resume.
Indeed, whether Khan had truly earned a world title shot with a win over a badly faded not so baby-faced Barerra remained very much open to question. Still, in boxing, skills pay the bills, and Khan offered plenty with dazzlingly fast hands and a brilliant array of voluminous punching power. Questions over his chin remained in earnest, but Khan's reputation for the eye-catching was without doubt.
Yet, in a largely controlled and highly effective boxing display, Khan would outclass his Ukrainian opponent Kotelnkik, largely unknown amongst UK fight fans was no household name and yet, in hindsight, this was a fine victory for Khan against a much more experienced opponent.
Now a world champion at the tender age of 23, Khan had the fighting world at his feet. Quick and skilful yet brilliantly vulnerable, an exciting future seemed inevitable for the Bolton-born prodigy.
Amir Khan vs Paulie Malignaggi (May 15, 2010)
Location: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
Up for grabs: WBA light-welterweight title
Having made quick work of the previously unbeaten Dimitry Salita in his first WBA title defence in Newcastle, Khan would next cross the pond and into the bright lights of New York for a showdown with local favourite, Paulie Malignaggi.
While the fast-talking Brooklyn born fighter had three losses on his record, he was expected to provide a stiff examination of Khan's credentials. Certainly not the biggest of punchers, Malignaggi remained a credible opponent for a young Khan with the former IBF light-welterweight champion going the distance with the legendary Miguel Cotto back in 2006.
Yet, in what must be considered one of Khan's finest ever displays, the Bolton man would outbox, outsmart and outmanoeuvre his over-matched opponent in a clinic of a performance.
Combining a devastating duo of flashy footwork and dazzling combinations, Khan would force a late stoppage in the eleventh round as he made the second successful defence of his WBA title in front of a hugely impressed US audience.
With this victory, Khan had propelled his name to a much wider audience, and while bigger tests were still to come, at just 22, the Olympic Silver medallist seemed to be on the cusp of a potentially exceptional career.
Amir Khan vs Marcos Maidana (December 11, 2010)
Location: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US
Up for grabs: WBA light-welterweight title
Following his impressive victory over Malignaggi, next on Khan's agenda was a potentially dangerous assignment with the hard-hitting Argentine, Marcos Maidana.
While impressive and rapid progress had been achieved since his shock blow-out against Prescott in 2008, questions over Khan's chin and durability remained a hot-talking point.
Having been accused of avoiding some of the bigger punches in and around the 135-140lb weight-class, Khan would look to silence his doubters as he put his WBA light-welterweight crown on the line against a hard-hitting and well-respected Maidana (29-1).
With 27 of his 29 wins coming via stoppage, many ringside analysts and fans considered this bout the most dangerous of Khan´s career to date.
And so it proved.
Awarded Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America, Khan would stun his Argentine opponent in the first round with a brilliantly placed liver shot.
Rising to beat the count, Maidana was perhaps fortunate that just seconds remained in the round as Khan looked to put the finishing touches to his handiwork.
Bewildered by Khan´s mesmerising speed of hand, the Argentine slugger was largely outboxed for much of the opening six rounds. However, the Santa Fe native continued to stalk the Brit, closing the corridors and chasing that one punch that could change the course of the fight.
As many had predicted coming into the fight, he found it.
A minute into the tenth, Maidana clocked Khan with a looping right hand, badly shaking the man known as "King" all the way to the sole of his boots. Yet, despite a relentless assault, Khan somehow remained on his feet and made it to the end of the round.
Seriously shaken, the Brit boasted sufficient stamina and durability to dance his way through the final two rounds and, despite the vicious assault of the tenth stanza, claimed a well-deserved UD victory and, with it, silenced at least a portion of his ever-vocal critics.
Amir Khan vs Zab Judah (July 23, 2011)
Location: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US
Up for grabs: WBA and IBF light-welterweight
Seven months on from his thrilling win over Maidana, Khan returned to US soil to face the skilful and vastly experienced IBF light-welterweight champion, Zab "Super" Judah in a hotly anticipated unification bout.
While talk of a fight with Floyd "Money" Mayweather seemed endless, it was Mayweather's fellow American that would instead face Khan in front of an expectant home crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Nevada.
No stranger to controversy, Judah was enjoying something of an Indian Summer in his career following fine wins over Lucas Matthysse and Kaizer Mabuza and, even at the age of 34, represented another big test for the Brit.
However, Khan, at 25 and nine years Judah´s junior, delivered a devastating and systematic beat-down on his out-gunned opponent. Having dominated the opening four rounds, Khan landed a powerful body shot that straddled the beltline and left a disspirited and well beaten Judah unable to beat referee Vic Drakulich's 10-count.
While Judah cried foul, he had simply been outclassed by the now two-time world champion. At 25, and with two belts to his name, Khan´s future seemed potentially orbital.
However, as we would later discover, this win over Judah would prove to be the zenith in his fighting career.
Back to back defeats at the hands of Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia wound send Khan's career into a tailspin, and despite brave efforts in bouts with Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford later in his career, the Brit would never again scale the heights of his earlier sporting ascension.
