Somehow, British boxer Amir Khan has been in the headlines as of late as he is being mentioned as Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s possible next opponent in September. But before all that happens, Khan needs to take care of business on May 29, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn when he goes up against Chris Algieri.
Algieri will be fighting in front of his hometown, somehow giving him an advantage over Khan. Algieri seems to have also matured since losing to Pacquiao, churning out impressive performances which have brought him back up to his feet.
And such becomes a cause for concern for Khan, who incidentally carries some similarities to Pacquiao, particularly in the area of hand speed.
Khan has been impressive himself, dominating Devon Alexander last December. For his part, Algieri pulled off a surprise split-decision over Ruslan Provodnikov for the WBO 140-pound title last June and is somehow also riding on a high.
Between the two, Khan seems to have an advantage since the British boxer is taller and fast.
Algieri has of course said that he will be springing in some surprises. He proved this against Provodnikov who knocked him down twice and yet managed to pull off the split-decision win. Against Pacquiao, Algieri was floored six times leading to a lopsided loss.
Will that happen against Khan? There is a chance. But the question here is not about knockdowns but winning it all. If Algieri can show the heart that allowed him to get back and win then Khan is in trouble.
Khan needs to remain focused against Algieri and not take him lightly. The lingering idea of him facing Mayweather is neat but he cannot let this distract him. He needs to get past Algieri first before even entertaining it since a loss could prove to be devastating and put that potential chance to face Mayweather in serious jeopardy.
