Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan pose for photos during a press event at the Hard Rock Cafe on March 1, 2016 in New York City. Alex Goodlett/Getty Images/AFP
Amir Khan believes middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez offers a more challenging fight than the bout he had desperately wanted last year.
Britain’s former two-time champion struck out in several negotiations for a possible fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao before finally getting himself a big fight against Alvarez, who is ranked No. 7 in the pound-for-pound list.
“This is a tougher fight than against a Mayweather or Pacquiao because of the size difference but I love that sort of challenge — it’s why I’m in boxing,” Khan said in an interview with BoxNation.
Khan said he never felt discouraged despite missing out on Mayweather and Pacquiao. He knew that along the way his time will come.
“I always believed that I would get the opportunity to prove myself in a historic fight, even after the disappointment of not getting Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao.”
“I felt that an opportunity would present itself and that always kept me going and moving forward. That time has come now with Canelo and I can look to create my own legacy and take on someone who is one of the very best out there.”
The 29-year-old Khan accepts he’s the underdog against Alvarez, who has won his last four fights since losing to Mayweather by majority decision in 2013, but feels he has the tools to pull off an upset.
“I’m going in there to give everything and to prove that this is where I belong. I’ve done some great work for this camp and will be ready to go as soon as the bel rights to start the fight,” he said.
“Canelo is a great champion, in his prime, very skilled and I will need to be at my very best to beat him. In most people’s eyes I’m seen as the underdog for this fight but I know deep down that I can win it. I’m ready to go and prove myself on this stage.”