WBA world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan is tentatively scheduled to defend his crown against Marcos Maidana at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on April 17.
Khan, 23, became Britain’s third-youngest world titlist when beat Andreas Kotelnik (30-3-1, 13 KOs) by unanimous decision last July.
After Khan (22-1, 16 KOs), a practicing Muslim, captured the championship, he fought an Orthodox Jew, Dmitry Salita (30-1-1, 16 KOs), on December 5 with his title at stake.
Because of their respective religious beliefs, the matchup was billed as a “holy war” by the media.
Exhibiting tremendous strength for a man his size, Khan annihilated Salita and earned a decisive knockout victory just 76 seconds into the bout.
“He has very quick hands,” acknowledged Salita, 27. “I didn’t see the punches coming.”
Maidana (26-1, 25 KOs) is a skilled and powerful puncher from Jose Leon Suarez, Buenos Aires.
Both Khan and Maidana will have an opportunity to record a quick victory when they meet because of the legitimate strength that they respectively possess in their fists.
“For a change, a fight between two little guys that should be violently exciting,” said Brad Sherwood, a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym in Medford. “Usually guys their sizes throw harmless punches. But, these two are strong and I expect a knockout one way or another.”
Despite Maidana’s potency, expect “King Khan’s” vast quickness and great stamina to alter the course of the fight in the later rounds.
Maidana likely won’t see Khan’s “punches coming” and the Brit will retain his title in an electrifying contest this spring in Sin City.
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