Ariza wants Amir Khan to destroy Malignaggi for his disrespect to Pacquiao

Now that he’s mission to get pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao ready to throw over 1,200 punches in a total domination of the often impenetrable defense of Ghana’s Joshua Clottey who was as solid as a rock.

Conditioning expert Alex Ariza says he will commit his entire effort to make sure 23 year old Amir Khan destroys 29 year old Paul Malignaggi on May 15 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Ariza who didn’t accompany trainer Freddie Roach for the press conference scheduled in New York on Wednesday, Manila Time, said “I want him to destroy Malignaggi for what he’s said.”

Malignaggi had joined the Mayweather clan headed by Floyd Mayweather Sr in accusing Pacquiao of being on performance enhancing drugs without providing a shred of evidence and Aruza said he wants Malignaggi to pay for it in the ring against the young British WBA junior welterweight champion.

Ariza told us that Khan would be back in training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles on Thursday, Friday in Manila.

The conditioning expert said he was confident Khan would whip Malignaggi. “I know he will, he will. I know so. He’s got a full eight weeks for the camp and I’m going to put him through hell” so he would be in superb condition and could rip the soft-punching Malignaggi.

Khan won the WBA 140 pound title with an impressive unanimous twelve round decision over Andriy Kotelnik last July and then gave Dmitry Salita a brutal beating, knocking him down twice in the opening round before finishing off the New York based Israeli in a mere 76 seconds last December.

Khan who had earlier signed up with Golden Boy Promotions has always praised Pacquiao and thanked him for his advice and his inputs on how to first beat Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera which he did in five rounds and then in the title fight against Kotelnik. On occasions Khan has sparred with Pacquiao during the Filipinos preparation for past fights.

Ariza said that when youngsters like Khan and Vanes Matirosyan train alongside Pacquiao and watched his systematic demolition of Miguel Cotto they were “inspired and their confidence boosted” because they had a model to not merely look up but to try and emulate.

BBC Sport quoted Khan as saying “I’m just going to go in there and do what I normally do and I really think Malignaggi has a style which is going to make me look good. He’s not at my level. He has a few good wins in America, but its another fight for and I’ll go there and do what I have to do.”

Malignaggi took a bad beating at the hands of IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton in 2008 before Pacquiao separate Hatton from his senses in a brutal second round knockout in May 2009.

Malignaggi who lost a hugely questionable decision to Golden Boy Promotions Juan Diaz in Houston, Texas came back to avenge that loss and effectively re-established himself as a title contender.

Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz  | PhilBoxing.com

Roach: I'll Be Disappointed if Khan Doesn't Stop Malignaggi

Trainer Freddie Roach was very upset during a recent appearance on the Leave it in The Ring Radio Show. When the subject of Paul Malignaggi came up, Roach went off. Malignaggi is going to fight WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan on May 15.

Roach became upset over Malignaggi's recent comments where he disclosed his his thoughts about Khan and performance enhancing drugs. Malignaggi thinks Khan is clean but admits the thought crossed his mind because Khan trains under the same team as Manny Pacquiao, who Malignaggi suspects is on performance enhancing drugs.

"I don't think we really want fight Paulie though cause he's such an assh**e. I used to respect this guy and like him, but he opens his mouth and says Amir is on steroids now because he trains with Freddie Roach. I might smack him when I see him, I might, I'm pissed off about that with him," Roach said.

"I feel like pulling Amir out of the fight and telling him [Malignaggi] go get a payday somewhere else because there's no payday here. You've knocked out five guys in your career, it must've been five girls. If Amir doesn't knock him out I'll be very dissapointed."

Source: Mark Vester  | BoxingScene.com

Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan To Train Together For Bouts

Freddie Roach, trainer for Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan, confirmed to BoxingScene.com that both fighters will train together over the next few weeks at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.

Pacquiao defends his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13. Khan is scheduled to return in late March or early April with a defense of his WBA junior welterweight title. The opponent has not been set.

"They both have fights around the same time. They will be training together and they will be sparring," Roach told BoxingScene.

Since Khan hooked up with Roach, he shared several training camps with Pacquiao. After recently leaving Frank Warren and signing a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, Khan is expected to make a full move to America, where he plans to build his name.

Source: Mark Vester  | BoxingScene.com

Roach wants Khan as Manny sparmate

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach, wanting to give Manny Pacquiao the best training for his blockbuster fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year, has lined up a couple of topnotch fighters who will serve as the Filipino boxing icon’s sparring partners in his build-up for their March 13 duel.

Roach said he wants Amir Khan, the reigning WBA light-welterweight champion, as their main man in sparring, whether or not Pacquiao trains in Baguio City for a month or stays in Los Angeles the whole time.

Roach is also looking at Tim Bradley to be part of the training team.

Someone close to Pacquiao yesterday said he’d heard of plans for Pacquiao to skip Baguio and train at the Wild Card Gym in LA for seven weeks and move over to Las Vegas on the week of the fight.

“Other than Amir Khan as Pacquiao’s main sparring partner, I like to include Timothy Bradley in my list,” Roach told philboxing,com.


Khan, who won the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics when he was just 17, is 5-feet-10 and can give Pacquiao a lot in sparring, while Bradley, the top contender at 140 lb, is 5’6” and has the orthodox stance of Mayweather.

Roach thinks these two boxers will be very instrumental as he prepares Pacquiao for the biggest fight of the decade.

“And I have the keys to break down Mayweather even in the earlier rounds. Mayweather will have no more excuses. We’ll catch him early, if not it’s going to be Pacquiao by unanimous decision,” Roach was quoted as saying.

“Pacquiao will strike on at unexpected angles that Mayweather will become frozen from taking too many shots.”

Meanwhile, except for the formal announcement, everything seems to be in place for Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao will stake his WBO welterweight title he won over Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto last month at 147 lb. Both boxers will use 8-ounce gloves, and have agreed to random drug testing in the weeks leading to the fight.

Bob Arum of Top Rank, for Pacquiao, and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy, for Mayweather, are expected to make an announcement on Monday regarding some fight details although the formal press conference takes place Jan. 6 in New York.

Reports said both fighters have agreed to an even 50-50 split and could end up with close to $40 million each in the bank after the fight, whatever happens, whoever wins.

Pacquiao is Twice as Good as Amir Khan, Says Roach

Although WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan who celebrates his 23rd birthday on December 9 is considered a tremendous prospect by trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning expert Alex Ariza, Roach concedes that pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao is twice as good as Khan.

Roach made the comment to the British newspaper The Sun after Khan retained his WBA title with a brutal 76 second stoppage of previously undefeated mandatory challenger Dmitriy Salita in Newcastle, England last Saturday.

Ariza said if Salita had any power at all, “he didn’t have a chance to demonstrate it because Amir was very quick.” He said they had been “ working on Khan’s punching power and wished they had a chance to show a little more of it.”

Roach said “if you compare the two, (Manny and Amir) Khan is “only halfway there” but conceded that he has trained the British Athens Olympic silver medalist for one year since his stunning first round KO lost to unheralded Breidis Prescott while he has had Pacquiao under his wings since the IBF super bantamweight title fight in which Pacquiao smashed champion Lelohonolo Ledwaba in six rounds in 2001.

Roach said “I’ve had him (Amir Khan) only for a year whereas its taken eight years to get Manny where he is today.”

In many respects Khan has bulked up like Pacquiao since Ariza pumps some 6,000 calories a day when in training for a fight.

Khan has moved up from lightweight to light welterweight and Roach believes this has helped in the young fighter’s development.

Roach was quoted by The Sun as saying “He (Khan) is much more resilient at 140 pounds. I think making 135 pounds was draining his body. He’s a lot stronger now.”

Roach wants to “ make him (Khan) a more complete fighter. He’s a long way off that, right now.”

Amir Khan lined up for Manny Pacquiao - Floyd Mayweather Las Vegas supershow

Amir Khan could make his long-awaited US debut on the same bill as Manny Pacquiao's superfight with Floyd Mayweather. That showdown between the world's two best fighters has been marked down for March 13 in Las Vegas and Freddie Roach wants Khan to appear with his pal Pacman.

Khan's profile Stateside has gone up another notch following his sensational 76-second demolition of New Yorker Dmitriy Salita in the first defence of his WBA light-welterweight crown and Roach feels he is ready to conquer America.

"I would love for Amir to fight on the undercard of Manny's next fight," said Roach, who wants Khan to spar with Pacquiao for the Mayweather showdown.

"Amir would be ready by March, no problem, for another world title defence.

"There are a lot of big names for him now, here in Britain, and in the States. Marquez is one, while (Jose Luis) Castillo is making a comeback and has told me he wants to fight Amir.

"The only guy I don't want him to fight is Manny and I want him to spar with him before Mayweather.

"Amir's speed is good for Manny and Amir is the only guy who can keep up with Manny in the gym. When they train, they are like machines."

Roach missed Khan's first knockdown of Salita inside 10 seconds because he was climbing down the steps to his seat in the corner and even he was stunned by his protege's speed and power.

Khan flattened the previouslyunbeaten Salita with a lightning leftright hook combination and then forced the WBA's No.1 challenger to take an eight count under another flurry of punches before finishing him off with a left hook. Roach is delighted with Khan's progress under his tutelage at his Wild Card gym in Los Angeles and believes he can win world titles all the way up to middleweight.

"I think he has the potential to become a superstar and win multi-titles for sure," said the American trainer, who has produced 26 world champions.

"He has the body to go up to 147lbs, even 160lbs in the long-term. He has the size to go up to middleweight, he's still growing. The key thing is to take the speed and power up with you and a lot of guys can't do that as they move up the weights."

Khan, who is 23 tomorrow, was thrilled by his win, but was more concerned about getting his confiscated mobile phone back from Roach. "I've sent a message out and most fighters will think twice about fighting me," he said. "I haven't hit my peak. I've a long way to go and I can only get better.

"Next year some time I want to go to the States and I'll sit down and see what's out there.

"But for now, I just want my phone back. My whole world revolves around my phone, but Freddie's had it for the last 10 days because he wanted me to stay focused in camp."

Promoter Frank Warren was blown away by Khan's devastating display and claims he can succeed where Naseem Hamed, who was at ringside at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena, failed by fulfilling his potential.

As brilliant as Naz was when he reigned as world featherweight king, Warren felt he didn't achieve everything he could have in boxing because he lost his focus.

"He can be better than Naz," said Warren. "At one stage of his career, Naz was the best fighter I have been involved with.

"Naz beat everybody there was to beat in that division and during that time, he was the best featherweight on the planet - then things happened.

"He didn't dedicate himself like he should have. The difference with Amir is that he is dedicated. He can go and do what Naz should have done."

Khan Do: Roach sends massive message to Mayweather camp

Let’s start talking real talk here. Nobody really knows for certain who will win the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight.

That’s why it’s the Fight of the New Century, perhaps the most massive attraction since the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight—brilliantly billed simply as “The Fight”—back in 1971.
But the Mayweather camp got a strong message from Newcastle On Thyre, England, Satruday night, a reminder that Mayweather-Pacquiao, set for March 13, will be a mismatch in one important respect.

Roger Mayweather, a decent world champion back in the day, was a superior fighter than Manny Pacquiao mentor Coach Freddie Roach. Roach was more of journeyman, a lower level contender who could not make the jump to world title status.
But comparing the “Black Mamba” and Roach as trainers is a joke, really.
No answers: Salita's lack of effort was beyond dismal against fiery Amir Khan

Not that Roger is a stumblebum trainer. It’s just that Roach is the absolute best of his era, a trainer on the level of Manny Steward, Angelo Dundee and Eddie Futch at their peaks.
As if he has not been on enough of a success roll with Pacquiao’s sizzling victories over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, Roach jockeyed UK boxing poster boy and WBA junior welterweight king Amir Khan to a 76 second, first round KO victory over embarrassing but unbeaten challenger Dimitriy Salita.

Khan demolished the observant Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn beginning with his first power punch, a right hand. Two knockdowns later and it was over.
Tutor Roach, who plans to use King Khan as a sparmate for Pacman leading up to the monster Mayweather bout, said he feels no 140 pounder can touch the lad from Bolton.
“Nobody can touch him, I feel,” a happy Roach told Sky Sports. “Whoever wants to step up, we’re ready!”

Khan was a 6-1 betting favorite over Salita, who may be the only undefeated boxer even given walking papers by both Bob Arum and Lou DiBella.
He should have been 100-1 because Salita never even threw a punch of any kind.
Salita’s dismal failure was in sharp contrast to the smashing success of another Brooklyn fighter and devout Jew, rabbinical student Yuri Foreman. Foreman took the WBA 154 pound title away from Daniel Santos on the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard.

What transpires in the ring with Manny and Floyd is the big drama.
But, in their respective corners, it’s no contest.
It’s Roach over Roger, all day and all night.

Amir Khan defends WBA title in style with knock-out against former unbeaten Dmitriy Salita

Amir Khan destroyed mandatory challenger Dimitry Salita away in 76 seconds flooring the New Yorker three times in a savage, lightning display to retain his World Boxing Association light-welterweight in Newcastle on Saturday night.

These were simply fists of fury from the former Olympic silver medallist who grows more compelling by the fight.


(Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

After a pause on the opening bell, the pair touched gloves and Khan pounced, catching Salita with a right and left combination and bludgeoned the New Yorker to the floor. Literally, he could not see what was coming from the flashing fists of the Bolton tyro.

Salita regained his feet but was immediately under attack again in the corner, under a barrage of punches. Predictably, the challenger was soon sent flying again into the ropes from a devastating left hook. Salita did not seemed particularly hurt, but he was certainly stunned and was in no position to continue.

Referee Luis Pabon had seen enough, and stepped in to save Salita from a savage beating. This was Khan at his very best.

It was frightening and savage in its ferocity, Salita having no answer to the blurred fists slashing across his face . Khan moved to 22 wins and one loss, and inflicted the first defeat on Salita’s 32-fight career. ‘ea-see, ea-see’ chanted the mob around the ring cordon.


(Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

Khan came into the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle to huge support – and to be noted, not a boo or jeer to be heard. The noise for his introduction from

MC Mark Burdis was deafening. Khan had come into this fight with controversy ringing around his ears, reports in the national press yesterday have relayed his feelings about racial slurs he has suffered in his career. This crowd of 10,000 were his. And how king Khan celebrated afterwards with the drums and horns being sounded in the partisan crowd.


(Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

As Georges Carpentier said: “Attack is only one half of the art of boxing” and master trainer Freddie Roach will have tougher nights than this ahead with his brilliant young fighter.

Indeed, Roach is of the view that Khan is only at 50 per cent of what he is going to be in the future. Khan, turns 23 on Tuesday, and he will look forward having turned a corner in his life. For now, a rest and another sojourn to Tinseltown to train at the Wild Card Gym under Roach. How he improves with every contest.

Khan said: "It wa satisfying because for this fight we worked on power and sitting on my shots more and it has given me more confidence. It was a great way to finish the year, and defend the world title.

Promoter Frank Warren added: "Amir should bask in his glory. This was a fantastic performance."