Re-scheduling a boxing match is not like finding a new slot for a meeting.

There are physical and mental implications for both fighters, so Andreas Kotelnik and Amir Khan now face a battle of readjustment.

Amir will be very disappointed that his WBA light-welterweight bout has been put back by three weeks. This world title fight is a massive opportunity for him; it's the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Should be a belter: but first Kotelnik and Khan must bide their time

He'll be frustrated as well. Boxing is all about timing and he'll have planned his entire training schedule and sparring around the initial date, with the aim of peaking at the right time. Now it's back to the drawing board.

There's no disguising the fact that Amir trains exceptionally hard. He really puts his body and soul into it so the delay will be tough on him.

There is a real danger as a fighter that at times like these you can come off the boil a little bit; you can get deflated but you've simply got to readjust the goals in your mind to another date and pick yourself back up again.

Preparing himself for another three weeks of intense work will not be easy for Khan. It's hard to get into the ring and spar every day, especially for Khan because he spars with hungry, top-quality fighters.

Happier

In some ways it is better to have a two-month delay rather than the odd week or two. It means you can take some time off and recharge your batteries.

But Amir cannot afford to do that. He may have a couple of rest - if I was his trainer that's what I would have suggested - but it's all about what he and Freddie Roach feel is the best way forward.

The change of venue, from London to Manchester, should work in Khan's favour though.

I imagine he'll be happier fighting at the MEN even though it will bring back memories of his worst night in boxing, when Breidis Prescott beat him up.

But it is also the arena where he enjoyed his best, his victory over Marco Antonio Barrera - the fight that wiped away the demons of the Prescott fight.

The fight is now closer to his native Bolton so they'll be plenty of his family and friends there to support him.

Questions

As the challenger, Khan's hunger will not diminish but can the same be said of Kotelnik? His mouth injury and subsequent infection raises plenty of questions that need answering, not least has been able to spar and if so to what level?

Boxing is all about gamesmanship and Kotelnik's difficulties should make Khan fancy the fight a little bit more; if in his mind Khan starts to think 'my opponent doesn't fancy it' it should make him feel better, stronger and give him that little bit of extra power.

Kotelnik's problem must be pretty big because promoters have everything at stake; re-scheduling the date and re-publicising the fight does not come cheap, it's not something that has been done on a whim.

Tougher

Wladimir Klitschko faces a rather different set of problems this weekend as he defends his IBF and WBO titles in Gelsenkirchen.

Normally, when your opponent pulls out - as David Haye did at the start of this month - you are not confronted by a replacement who poses a tougher test.

There is no doubt in my mind that fighting Ruslan Chagaev, who is a hard heavyweight, will be a more difficult fight for the Russian.

I'm sure Klitschko was bang up for Haye because there has been a little bit of bad blood between the two.

Haye had over-pushed the publicity a bit and Klitschko appeared to be of the mind that Haye was fairly lucky to get the opportunity to fight him and maybe that was the case. After all it isn't that long ago that Haye defeated Enzo Maccarinelli to win the cruiserweight title.

Now that British interest has gone but in pure boxing terms Klitschko against Chagaev should be a much better fight.

Klitschko still needs to win over his doubters because at times in his career he's looked quite suspect; he now has a great chance to prove that he is the top guy.

We know he can box but can he fight? Against Chagaev he is going to have to. I don't think it is going to be all that easy, there will be times when he is going to have to tough it out and that's not normally his game.

He's threatened to dominate the heavyweight scene in the past without ever quite doing it; now would be a good time to fulfil that expectation.

Booking details

Amir Khan v Andreas Kotelnik (WBA Light-Welterweight title), Matthew Hall v Anthony Small (vacant British Light-Middleweight Title), Plus Undercard fights to include Frankie Gavin, Billy Joe Saunders and James DeGale, will be exclusively live on Sky Box Office and Sky Box Office HD on Saturday, July 18.

It will be repeated at 9.00am, and 1.00pm on Sunday, July 19. Repeat shows will last two-and-a-half hours.

The event will be available to Sky digital customers on Sky Box Office channel 743 and Sky Box Office HD channel 752.

The event is priced at £14.63 for UK customers, €21.48 for customers in the Republic of Ireland.

To order the event viewers can call: 08442 410888 (There may be an additional £1 charge for telephone bookings).

You can also book via the box office function on your remote control.

Cable customers should contact their local cable operator.

Sky Box Office terms and conditions apply.

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