Amir Khan delivers in style with win over Devon Alexander
Brit claims welterweight title on points with brutal performance
‘We worked hard. I needed to make a statement and I did that’
The plan for Amir Khan was to light up Las Vegas and so it proved.
All week the 28-year-old had talked of arriving at boxing’s biggest stage and making a statement of intent with the world watching.
And at the end of 12 absorbing rounds against Devon Alexander, Khan’s arms were held aloft after all three judges decreed the Briton had the won the fight by some distance.
Scores of 119 – 109 , 118 - 110 120- 108 in favour of the Bolton fighter illustrated his complete dominance at the MGM Grand. The fact he connected with 243 punches to his opponent’s 91 brutally confirmed it.
Alexander, no slouch by any means, was utterly schooled in this WBC welterweight title fight.
“We worked hard for this fight. I needed to make a statement and I did that. Devon was a very skillfull fighter. It was a tough fight but I have proved myself at welterweight, “ said a delighted Khan.
“I hadn’t called Floyd Mayweather out with confidence before but now it is different.
“Virgil Hunter is teaching me when to attack. I am getting better, wiser, I was moving my feet more and boxing wiser. I have the best jab in the business.
“I believe Mayweather v Khan would be huge. I want to fight the best and I think I have earned it.”
It certainly would have made Khan smile to hear Mayweather blabbering on the night before about his desperation to finally face Manny Pacquiao. Never one to miss an opportunity to muscle in someone else’s parade , the American seemed to obliterate the Bolton fighter’s chances of securing a multi-million pound payday in May.
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On this evidence, it would be one hell of a fight.
Khan’s camp know, from painful prior experience, not to take any of the garbage which he spurts out as read.
If it happens, it will do so. Naturally it wouldn’t be on Khan’s terms; a fight worth £30 million would see the 28 year-old bank no more than £5 million.
This, though, was all about the two-time world champion ensuring he is what he and trainer Virgil Hunter say he is: a force to be reckoned with, a fighter with a golden future stretched out in front of him.
“It was a 9.9 out 10,” said Hunter afterwards. Huge credit must go to the 61-year-old for helping his charge mature so encouragingly.
The early, critical, fashion war was easily won by the Brit. After all, when you’re wearing £20,000 white leather shorts, how can you lose?
He would have known, having heard Keith ‘One time’ Thurman booed out of the MGM following a tough , yet hardly electric, win over the tough and experienced Leonard Bundu.
It was harsh on Thurman, who hadn’t fought for eight months. But whatever the rights or wrongs of sozzled fans letting their discontent be known, Khan knew the time was now to really deliver on the grandest stage of all.
He had conceded as much this week. The raucous howls on his arrival certainly boded well for what lay ahead.
It was a blistering start. Khan caught Alexander flush with a left hook which rocked the American. The Briton was positive and on the front foot. As the fight wore on, the animosity revved up between the pair.
The boy from Bolton’s speed of foot was keeping him in Alexander’s gaze. Yet the American was standing firm. His ability to do just that was tested late on in the fourth when a thumping right hand crashed into his face.
Khan was landing the bigger blows. He just needed to keep it going.
Encouragingly, his movement was ensuring once punches were landed, the danger area was quickly vacated. This was smarter fighting from the Brit. The first five rounds were his.
Alexander, however, was demonstrating the kind of toughness needed when growing up on the harsh streets of St Louis. He wasn’t going away and wasn’t afraid of taking the fight to Khan, whose jab was causing all manner of problems for the man in the sparkly red shorts.
With three rounds remaining, the 28-year-old was in control. Some rapier-like combinations served to weaken Alexander’s resolve.
There was only going to be one result. What happens next will be fascinating.
“He was fast and I just couldn’t catch him, “ mused Alexander, with no hint of understatement.
