Favourite Khan not put off by Judah’s unsettling tactics
Published:The mind games have already begun ahead of Amir Khan’s Las Vegas showdown with Zab Judah after the American turned up 45 minutes for his scheduled session at a media workout day.
This late arrival meant that Khan was also unable to complete his own planned session and was instead forced to simply do some skipping and shadow boxing.
Although Khan was frustrated by the developments at the Mandalay Bay Resort, the WBA light-welterweight champion is not going to allow it to get under his skin and knows of the dangers that Judah possesses.
Khan said: “Everyone thinks I’m the favourite but I can’t go into the fight thinking it will be easy. It will be a hard fight. I’ll have to be smart, listen to my trainer Freddie Roach and not make any mistakes.
“I’ve been sparring with Manny Pacquiao for three years. He has speed, power, great movement and is a southpaw. Sparring him will help me in this fight.”
Unsettling opponents ahead of big fights is nothing out of the ordinary for the volatile IBF light-welterweight champion and the fact he appears to have grown up in recent years could make him a tougher opponent.
A new inner steel has been particularly noticeable, getting off the canvas to beat Lucas Matthysse and Kaizer Mabuza after seemingly using a small cut to find an early route out of his 2008 defeat to Joshua Clottey.
Judah is 4/1 in the boxing odds to beat Khan and 6/1 to win by stoppage, which may be an especially big price.
The 33-year-old has stopped three of his last four opponents and Khan is still seen to have a weak chin, despite getting through 12 rounds, with some referee assistance, with Marcos Maidana.
Khan thinks he is the favourite and is unanimously so with the bookies, as he is 1/7 in the boxing betting to beat Judah.
