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Amir Khan will have to wait for world title shot

Amir Khan will not beat Naseem Hamed's record as Britain's youngest postwar world champion. Indeed, there is a very good chance that he may have to wait until he is 22 to get his shot at a world title.
He would have to win a world title in his next bout to break Hamed's record, but his next fight is going to be a defence of his Commonwealth lightweight title at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The rumours are that it could be against Michael Gomez, which would be something of a disappointment. Gomez's best days are behind him, as he showed when he was stopped by Carl Johanneson. He also didn't make a list of potential challengers issued by the Commonwealth Boxing Council this week. And it wasn't a restricted list - there were 21 names on it.

Khan not ready for Golden Boy's lightweight tournament

Amir Khan's win over Martin Kristjansen, in a WBO eliminator in Bolton last weekend, put him in line for a shot at the world lightweight title. But not everyone thinks the 2004 Olympic silver-medal winner is ready to make that final step.

The WBO interim champion is Joel Casamayor, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, and Richard Schaefer, their chief executive, does not think a bout between Casamayor and Khan should happen yet. Instead Schaefer is planning a four-man lightweight tournament the winner of which could face Khan.

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Forget the bitterness, Khan really is the real deal

Amir Khan's bout against Martin Kristjansen this weekend seems to have almost slipped under the radar with all the superfights involving Brits going on. As usual, Khan will start an overwhelming favourite, but that does not mean the Dane is no good, nor does it give credit to the fact that Khan is on the verge of really big things.

Khan has been on the end of a vicious whispering campaign, from people who would like you to believe that Khan is all hype, can't punch, is chinny and over-protected. Read the letters page of Boxing News, many of the internet forums or one or two websites and these matters are commonly brought up by armchair "experts" who think they are being terribly clever.

Thaxton gets his last chance to pursue Khan bout

Boxing is about fame, glory, money, the challenge, the action, the hype - depending on who you are, depends in which order. When you are 33, in most cases, the priorities are getting limited. For Jon Thaxton, the chance of real fame has probably passed him by, the chances of glory and money realistically depend on securing one bout - against Amir Khan. A bout with Khan would pay Thaxton considerably more than he has ever earned before and a win would not only give him the recognition his career has so far lacked, but also propel him into a likely world title fight.

In many ways, Thaxton has become to Khan, a version of what Junior Witter has become to Ricky Hatton. In both cases it was seen that the star would have to prove himself against the other, but somehow kept avoiding him. Except that most rational observers find it outrageous that Hatton continues to slip Witter, while Thaxton, the British lightweight champion, still has to prove he is worth facing.

London notes

Enzo Calzaghe is a busy man these days with three world champions in his Cwmcarn gym, all of whom are in action in the next two months. On Wednesday, Enzo was at the Peacock gym in Canning Town, East London, to take Enzo Maccarinelli through his paces on the pads for the benefit of the media. But he couldn't hang about after, as he was straight back across London to Paddington for a train back to Wales for an evening session with his other two world champions. Gavin Rees is defending his WBA light-welterweight title against Andreas Kotelnik at Cardiff International Arena on March 22, while Enzo's son Joe is facing Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas on April 19.

Boxing proving to be a real lottery winner

The feel-good story of the week is without doubt amateur boxing. With one qualifying tournament to go for the Beijing Games in August, Great Britain has seven boxers qualified. Some think Amir Khan turned his back on amateur boxing when he decided to turn professional three years ago, but, in reality, his legacy is the success story that is now happening.

Thaxton keeps his name in the frame for Khan

The to and fro between Jon Thaxton (left) and Amir Khan, and their promoters Mick Hennessy and Frank Warren, has become at best tiresome in recent weeks, but the chances of what would, surely, be an entertaining domestic scrap have risen slightly against after Hennessy secured Thaxton a shot at the European title.

More titles, or no belts at all - what is the way forward?

I am sure like a lot of others, I winced when watching post-bout interview on ITV4 after the WBU welterweight title bout between Michael Jennings (left) and Ross Minter. It had been a great domestic scrap, Minter's aggressive style mixing well with the boxing skills on the move of Jennings. After, the pair were particularly respectful to each other and Minter said he knew it would be tough because Jennings was "a world champion". Some may put the pair up for the British Boxing Board of Control's sportsmanship award, others would want Minter up before the Board on a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute.

Khan stays at home

Amir Khan looks set to stay close to home for his next bout which could be a challenge for Yuri Romanov's European lightweight title.
Frank Warren, Khan's promoter, had looked at the possibility of Khan boxing in Las Vegas on the eve of Joe Calzaghe's bout with Bernard Hopkins.

Khan coming out of a cinema screen near you

Want to know what it is like for Amir Khan to throw a flurry of punches at you? Visitors to their local cinema may soon get the chance to find out, without the pain of actually getting hit. For the launch of their latest sponsorship deal with Khan, Reebok unveiled a four-minute 3D film of him training, ending with a sustained barrage of punches aimed right at the camera.

St Clair's trainer sends a warning to Khan

The trainer of Amir Khan's next opponent has warned the former Olympic silver-medal winner that things will not be easy when they meet for Khan's Commonwealth lightweight title at ExCeL in East London on February 2. Angelo Hyder, who trains Gairy St Clair, says Khan will live to regret it if he takes St Clair too lightly.

Mitchell has plenty of reasons to stay positive

Kevin Mitchell has every reason to be a bit fed up ahead of what was supposed to be a big night for him at York Hall this evening.  2007 was a pretty wasted year, 2008 was meant to be when it all came together for him. But it was never going to be that easy.

Thaxton's chance could be gone

If Amir Khan fulfills any of the potential it is expected to, it is doubtful whether, people will look back with a critical in ten years' time and say "Yeah, but he never fought Jon Thaxton." What seems a big story today, isn't necessarily one in the future. So importance of the decision of Khan and his promoter, Frank Warren, to pull out of a purse bid for a British title but against Thaxton should not be overplayed, however disappointing it may seem at the moment.

European champion tops wanted list for Khan

Yuri Romanov, the European lightweight champion, is the impressive name at the top of the list to be Amir Khan's next opponent.

Thaxton ordered to face Khan

Amir Khan will get the chance to challenge Jon Thaxton for the British lightweight title after the British Boxing Board of Control ordered Thaxton to defend the title against Khan, who is the Commonwealth champion. Purse bids will be opened at the Board's offices in Cardiff on January 9, with the bout to take place by the end of April.

Khan-Earl sells out

The Floyd Mayweather Jr-Ricky Hatton fight in Las Vegas is not the only hot ticket on December 8. In humble old Bolton, Amir Khan's biggest bout so far as a professional has also sold out.