Friday 5 February 2016 15:40, UK
Tyson Fury believes Amir Khan can follow in his footsteps and spring a major boxing surprise by beating Saul Alvarez.
The Bolton boy will be the underdog after agreeing to move up in weight to take on WBC world middleweight champion 'Canelo' in Las Vegas on May 7.
Fellow north-west star Fury admits Khan has a mountain to climb but is backing his friend to emulate his stunning defeat of Wladimir Klitschko, which saw Fury become the heavyweight champion of the world.
"He couldn't get [Floyd] Mayweather, he couldn't get [Manny] Pacquiao so who is the biggest name out there?" he told Sky Sports.
"It had to be Alvarez or [Gennady] Golovkin - but he is a full-blown middleweight whereas Alvarez is a blown-up welterweight and seems a big puncher, but has hardly knocked anyone out in his last five opponents, has he?
"Alvarez has got slow feet, so the key to beating him will be speed and Amir Khan's got that.
Alvarez has got slow feet, so the key to beating him will be speed and Amir Khan's got that.
"But remember, anything is possible. Don't forget I went into the Klitschko fight as a 5/1 underdog, as a rank outsider, but I came out victorious.
"If I can beat a super-champion and out-box someone who [most people] thought couldn't be out-boxed then surely Amir Khan can beat Alvarez, who has only been a champion for a few years."
And while Fury doesn't know when, where or even whether he is going to fight Klitschko again, he expects Khan's showdown with British rival Kell Brook will still happen.
"The Brook fight is going to be there if he wins or loses against Alvarez," he said.
"There is no need to take it just yet. And just because Amir's got an American agent and he fancies fighting over there, I think we will see it happen."
