Khan Win Offers Up More Questions, Less Answers Across The Pond

By:  | Posted: Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 1:52 am.

AMIR Khan won again but questions remain after his wild shoot-out with Michael Gomez, which highlighted the best and worst of the former Olympic star.

As expected, Khan outgunned the older and naturally smaller Gomez, who snarled defiance all the way before he was rescued in the fifth round of their Commonwealth lightweight title fight in Birmingham on Saturday night.

But Khan is clearly a lot further away from a world title shot than he thinks. Once again, the 21-year-old showed worrying defensive frailties as he was clubbed to one knee in the second round and hurt badly to the body in the fourth.

Talk of a fight with Manny Pacquiao, assuming the Filipino beats David Diaz next Saturday, is now looking a bit fanciful, to say the least.

Khan, though, is exciting and has an almost irrepressible will to win. Even though he was briefly in trouble Khan came straight back and there was an air of inevitability about the finish, with Gomez looking like he might be overwhelmed almost every time his younger opponent opened up.

Khan’s biggest weapon is his speed. As Gomez walked him down, Khan met him with lightning two-fisted attacks that were delivered with unerring accuracy.

Gomez had to deal with so much coming back at him that he was never able to get a real foothold in the fight. He was on the floor in the first and again in the fifth from a body shot before the end came with less than 30 seconds left in the round.

With Gomez wilting on the ropes and throwing nothing back, Khan unloaded viciously and referee John Keane had little choice but to step in, handing the victor his 14th stoppage in 18 consecutive wins since capturing a silver medal as a teenager in Athens four years ago.

But Gomez, fighting on his 31st birthday, came out with great credit. Although he was cut over the left eye and took a real battering, the Mancunian never stopped coming forward in the hope that he could land a punch that might change the course of the fight.

In the second round, it nearly happened. A swinging Gomez left hook caught Khan with enough force to send him down on to one knee. Although Khan got up grinning, he was definitely hurt and the 10,000 sell-out crowd briefly sensed an upset. Gomez, though, couldn’t capitalise.

Alarm bells rang again for Khan in the fourth when Gomez landed a withering left hook to his ribs, forcing the champion to give ground. Once again, Khan smiled and called Gomez on before driving him back across the ring with a ferocious barrage that might have finished lesser fighters.

Although Khan eventually got the job done, concern remains about his long-term potential. A respected source with whom I’m closely connected said he thought it would be another five fights before Khan was even risked against a top contender.

Khan was having his first fight under new trainer Dean Powell after splitting with longtime coach Oliver Harrison in May, and it’s clear the pair have things to work on before the youngster’s next appearance on September 6.

Afterwards, former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan, doing analysis for ITV, said Khan needed to learn to fight better inside and nullify attacking fighters like Gomez.

But I think Khan allowed his emotions to get involved in this fight. An explosive affair was always likely but Gomez clearly got under Khan’s skin during the build-up, particularly when he failed to show at the pre-fight press conference a few days before.

The psychological war took another twist when Gomez put out a false rumour that he was working with Harrison, whom Khan then openly criticised.

By the time the fighters got into the ring, I think Khan just wanted to vent his anger on Gomez. It made for thrilling viewing but Khan will not be able to get away with such a reckless approach when he eventually does start meeting the top fighters in his division.

After this, a few more might now fancy their chances of upsetting Britain’s heir apparent – if indeed that is what Khan is.

CATEGORIES:Editorial