It appears that Amir Khan’s love affair with Freddie Roach may be coming to an end as the Bolton-born fighter seeks pastures new. Whilst nothing has been confirmed, the boxer was quoted as saying in the Star on Sunday “I want to make a few changes, I’m in talks with some coaches but don’t know if they’re available at the moment.” The attitude certainly represents a shift, considering they had a very good record together.
Murmurings were coming out of the Khan Camp that he was not happy with Roach’s perceived lack of commitment. Despite training “King” Khan, Roach’s stable is comprised of other A-list fighters, primarily Manny Pacquaio who gets the lion-share of Roach’s attention in regards to training camp’s and fights.
This really came into the spotlight after Khan’s defeat to Lamont Peterson, though Khan managed to retain his WBA light-welterweight title after Peterson was found to have taken performance enhancing drugs. Again similar sentiments were expressed after Khan’s last fight and defeat to bruiser Danny Garcia. Immediately after the fight he told the media he would be thinking over his coaching options, though retracted the comments a day later stating he was still angry after the defeat.
The comments Khan has recently made have only been compounded by Roach himself. When asked about whether or not he would be returning in Khan’s corner for his next fight, which is expected before the end of the year, he replied “I heard they want to fight around December, nobody has told me whether I’m in or out”.
Roach’s pedigree speaks for itself as he coached some of the greatest fighters and future hall of famers around. Khan’s ego having been dented after his previous two showings was entirely down to him. He may not receive the attention he feels he deserves but that is down to Roach having one of the pound for pound greats Manny Pacquaio in his stable of fighters. They certainly become more of a priority.
Another fatal flaw besides Amir Khan’s susceptible chin is ignorance inside the ring. Roach often considered as one of the best defensive coaches in the business, as well as for his tactical know-how, is largely ignored during fights pertaining to advise.
Constantly told to keep his guard up, Khan has often ignored Freddie Roach’s counsel and often tries to go toe to toe with fighters. Lacking punching power and again being vulnerable to blows, Roach made it a priority to shore up Khan’s defences in order to out point fighters. The tactic to a large extent worked and under Roach’s tutelage, he has guided Khan to world championship belts.
One is dumbfounded at how Khan can treat a coaching great like he has and expect to retain the support of much of the boxing public. It appears that the fault always seems to lie with coaches and not his own immature attitude in the ring which has been exposed again and again. His blighted way of thinking had even set himself the target of meeting Floyd “Money” Mayweather after he was to “oust” Danny Garcia. Never was this a possibility because of Khan’s lack of foresight and boxing skills to compete with what many regard as the world’s best boxer at this current moment in time.
Still only twenty-five and a great pay-per-view draw, Khan will have another chance to rebuild a wavering career. There will be a few fights possibly on a domestic level to help prepare Khan for another crack at a world title. It will be a last chance saloon as many know because there are only so many fights a world class fighter can afford to lose before they are discarded by the public onto the scrap heap.
The worst thing I feel Amir Khan can do is dispense with the services of Freddie Roach. He has guided and coached the best fighters in the business and is still one of the best coaches there is. If Khan has to play second fiddle to Manny Pacquiao when it comes to getting attention then so be it. Should Khan decide to get a new coach, who can match Freddie Roach in regards to experience and boxing genius? Not many I would have thought.
To plot his way back to the top, he must first retain the services of Roach, have a few domestic fights and then actually start listening to Roach and take his advise on board. If he manages to allow his ego to dwindle away, in time he can groom himself into one of the world’s finest fighters, but based on his current way of thinking, I just do not see that happening.
