Roach: Work in progress

Roach: Khan halfway to greatness

He's a world champion which is a great feat in itself but I think he has a bright future and can be a multi-champion in a lot of different weight divisions.

Freddie Roach
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Freddie Roach claims Amir Khan is only "halfway" from becoming the finished article, despite his phenomenal first defence of his WBA light-welterweight crown.

Speculation has been mounting that the Olympic silver medallist is ready to fight over in America after he put an end to Dmitriy Salita's unbeaten record in a blistering 76 seconds.

But Roach insists Khan's success on Saturday in Newcastle is only the start of things to come, rating the 22-year-old as 50 per cent from his full potential.

The renowned trainer, who also sits in the corner of WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, admitted the Bolton-born fighter excites him in the same way the current No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world did as a youngster.

Superstar

Asked to compare Khan with a young Pacquiao, Roach said: "It's hard to say because it took me eight years to get Pacquiao to where we are now.

"I've been with Amir for a year now and we have a lot of time.

"I think he's about halfway there. He's a world champion which is a great feat in itself but I think he has a bright future and can be a multi-champion in a lot of different weight divisions.

"That's long-term though, a lot of things can happen between now and then. I think he has the potential to be a superstar and win multi-weight titles, for sure."

Promoter Frank Warren believes Khan's Stateside debut is imminent, but the Englishman is happy to fight again at home after the reception he got from the Geordie support at the Metro Radio Arena over the weekend.

American Dream

Warren said: "He will go and fight in the States, of course he will. What fighter doesn't want to fight at Madison Square Garden or in Las Vegas?

"He's got the ambition to do that and prove himself over there. He will do that."

And Khan admitted: "It's everyone's dream to go over to Vegas.

But the light-welterweight added: "After that reception, you don't want to leave England. I'd like to fight in England and keep fighting here.

"But, definitely, in the next year sometime, I think it would be a good move to go to the States (to fight). I train over there and I love it there.

"In the gym you get so many people asking, 'when are you fighting here?' And I always say, 'soon, soon' but I think they are bored of asking so they don't ask me now.

"But, yes, next year sometime is what we're looking at and we're going to hopefully shock the world when we go to America."