Khan signs with Golden Boy Promotions
Few shed any tears for promoters, who are often portrayed as the fat cats making money outside the ring while the boxers are shedding blood and sweat inside it. But if you want to look at what Frank Warren did for Amir Khan, just rewind 17 months to Khan's 54-second demolition at the fists of Breidis Prescott.
Who could have imagined that night that Khan would be a world champion 11 months later? But he was and six months on from that, he's off. Still, a boxer's career is high in risk and short in length. Few would condemn a boxer too much for making what he can when he can.
In many ways, the move to Golden Boy is a direct result of Khan's switch to being trained by Freddie Roach in California. Boxing in the US became a very big issue. Roach said he hoped Khan would box regularly in the US, while Khan said he had felt embarrassed by constantly saying "maybe next time" when asked when he would be boxing in the US. However, a spokesman for Khan made it clear that he would not be turning his back on Britain and still planned to box here regularly.
"I'm going to make sure my next fight will be in America, now I am standing on my own feet, where I've got my own promotions company. I'm my own guy, I manage myself, I'm not tied up in any contract or anything. It's up to me who I want to fight now. Even if I'm on an undercard in America, next fight I want to fight in America. I'm not going to listen to what people say, it's my dream, it's my career. For me to fight in America is a big thing." Khan said.
Of course, Khan did listen to people. The move had been the subject of rumours in recent months. Before his one-round win over Dmitriy Salita in December, Khan said that both Oscar De la Hoya and Shane Mosley, the WBA welterweight champion who is a partner in Golden Boy, had watched Khan spar. Khan spoke about the event in a somewhat star struck way, but anyone who has visited the neighbourhood of Hollywood where Roach has his Wild Card gym would be forced to draw the conclusion that the pair of legends were unlikely to have just been passing by.
Roach is also close with Golden Boy, having trained De La Hoya for his 2007 bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"Amir Khan is one of the most talented fighters in the world at any weight. That talent, combined with his charismatic and out-going personality, makes him a promoter's dream and I feel will one day lead him to being the face of boxing. We are extremely excited to team with Khan Promotions and look forward to introducing Amir to fight fans in the United States and around the world", De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions, said.
The story will take a further step forward today when the purse bid is held for Khan's next defence against Marco Maidana, a big-punching Argentinian. Should Warren win the purse bids, Khan will be faced with the choice of boxing for Warren again or giving up his world title.
Numerous reports have suggested that Golden Boy had made inquiries about Paulie Malignaggi, the former IBF light-welterweight champion, being a possible replacement in what would be a non-title bout. That bout would appear to have very little appeal to Malignaggi, who beat Juan Diaz in his last bout and had been mentioned as a possible opponent for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Malignaggi is best known in Britain for his defeat to Hatton in 2008 and the decision of Khan to join Golden Boy, who also promotes Hatton, could set up a bout between the pair later this year. Hatton confirmed this week that he is to make a comeback this year.
Golden Boy are also the US promoters of David Haye, the WBA heavyweight champion and had tried, seemingly unsuccessfully, to persuade Joe Calzaghe to make a comeback. They have something of a reputation for signing boxers brought on by other promoters, having failed to build a star themselves.
A few years ago they were talking of setting up Golden Boy Europe. That might not have come about yet, but in the names of Hatton Promotions, Khan Promotions and Hayemaker; they have more than their share of partners.