Khan admits to frailties after win against Diaz
UK boxer acknowledges need to spend more time with trainer.
The win keeps Khan on course for a shot at the world titles but the 26-year-old admitted his defence needed to improve. PHOTO: AFP
SHEFFIELD:
Amir Khan admits he will have to spend more time with his trainer Virgil Hunter in San Francisco after being floored on his way to a 12-round points win over Julio Diaz.
The Briton quickly bounced up off the canvas in the fourth round but after a count there were more worrying moments before he looked on the verge of being stopped in the 11th.
However, the former light-welterweight world champion prevailed and won a unanimous – but narrow – points decision by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112 in an enthralling encounter at the Sheffield Arena.
The victory kept Khan on course for a shot at the world titles later this year, but before that the 26-year-old said he needed to work on his defence once again. Hunter is based in San Francisco and has urged the boxer to spend more time with him in the California city.
“I know there’s a lot of improvement still to be made, but it’s only my second training camp with Virgil,” Khan told a news conference. “Julio took my power and he was a big puncher himself. It’s only going to improve me as a fighter having fights like that. He never took a step backwards.
“I had to rethink and keep moving in the 11th round. If that was the old Amir Khan I would have got stuck in.
“I’m probably going to fly over to San Francisco between fights now and do a mini-camp so we can work on things that need to be improved upon. I’m going to spend more time there. The more time I spend with Virgil, the better I will get. I know what mistakes I made.”
Hunter says Khan must visit him before beginning training for his next fight – probably in December – if he wants to avenge his world title defeats to Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson, both from the US.
Diaz offers Khan word of advice
Diaz, 33, has no intention of retiring and hopes to face another light-welterweight contender next after insisting Khan never hurt him.
The former world lightweight champion also urged Khan to spend more time with Hunter and says the Briton is too exposed.
“I couldn’t finish him because he became more dangerous when he was hurt,” said Diaz. “I focused too much on the knockout and let the rounds slip away. It was a fair decision.
“He still made the same mistakes. You can’t change a fighter overnight, you have to be there 24/7. He needs to stop exposing himself.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.
Amir Khan admits he will have to spend more time with his trainer Virgil Hunter in San Francisco after being floored on his way to a 12-round points win over Julio Diaz.
The Briton quickly bounced up off the canvas in the fourth round but after a count there were more worrying moments before he looked on the verge of being stopped in the 11th.
However, the former light-welterweight world champion prevailed and won a unanimous – but narrow – points decision by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112 in an enthralling encounter at the Sheffield Arena.
The victory kept Khan on course for a shot at the world titles later this year, but before that the 26-year-old said he needed to work on his defence once again. Hunter is based in San Francisco and has urged the boxer to spend more time with him in the California city.
“I know there’s a lot of improvement still to be made, but it’s only my second training camp with Virgil,” Khan told a news conference. “Julio took my power and he was a big puncher himself. It’s only going to improve me as a fighter having fights like that. He never took a step backwards.
“I had to rethink and keep moving in the 11th round. If that was the old Amir Khan I would have got stuck in.
“I’m probably going to fly over to San Francisco between fights now and do a mini-camp so we can work on things that need to be improved upon. I’m going to spend more time there. The more time I spend with Virgil, the better I will get. I know what mistakes I made.”
Hunter says Khan must visit him before beginning training for his next fight – probably in December – if he wants to avenge his world title defeats to Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson, both from the US.
Diaz offers Khan word of advice
Diaz, 33, has no intention of retiring and hopes to face another light-welterweight contender next after insisting Khan never hurt him.
The former world lightweight champion also urged Khan to spend more time with Hunter and says the Briton is too exposed.
“I couldn’t finish him because he became more dangerous when he was hurt,” said Diaz. “I focused too much on the knockout and let the rounds slip away. It was a fair decision.
“He still made the same mistakes. You can’t change a fighter overnight, you have to be there 24/7. He needs to stop exposing himself.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.