Amir Khan wants to produce a stylish win over Paulie Malignaggi on Saturday to send out a message to the American audience.
British world champion aiming for stylish American debut win
Amir Khan is not only targeting a win against Paulie Malignaggi but a win in style on Saturday to send out a message to the American boxing audience.
Khan defends his WBA light welterweight title against the American at Madison Square Garden in New York, in his first fight in the States.
The 2004 Olympic silver medallist will take his career up another rung on the ladder to boxing's big time with the bout and he is determined to shine on his American debut.
Already a world champion at the age of 23, Khan (22-1, 16 KOs) acknowledges that his second title defence is a big opportunity for him.
He not only has the chance to settle a score with the trash-talking Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KOs), but also has a chance to make a good first impression in front of an American television audience.
Style
"I know I will win the fight but I don't just want to win, I want to win it in good style," Khan said.
"I want to beat him and be smart, be clever, and I want to send a statement out to the States, how good Amir Khan is."
Khan almost failed to make it to America in time for the fight after suffering a delay in his visa application, forcing him to move his training camp from Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles to Vancouver before his documentation was finally processed last Friday.
"I was meant to be there two days at most but it ended up being two weeks," Khan added.
"So I had to move all my training camp, my sparring partners, Freddie and Alex Ariza to Vancouver while I waited every day to get my visa. It was a good job I moved my training camp or I would have missed two weeks' training.
Strong
"Mentally I'm still strong and prepared for this fight and it didn't mess anything up. The training camp still went well."
Now Khan is busy settling into a new routine in New York.
"I've met a lot of fans, been to the Empire State Building, done a lot of promotional work for the fight and everything's moved again," he said.
"It's like I've had three training camps but New York's the last stop, the fight's on Saturday and I'm looking to get it over with."
