Tuesday 17 April 2018 20:36, UK
Amir Khan has admitted his two-year absence is significant and claims he is "itching" to rediscover his old skills.
Khan returns in Liverpool this Saturday, live on Sky Sports, against Phil Lo Greco in his first fight since suffering a knockout loss to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2016.
"I can't wait to get in the ring and see how I am, as a fighter, after two years," Khan told Sky Sports News at Tuesday's public workout.
Two years is a long time to be out of the ring. In those two years I was always watching videos of my old fights, improving as a fighter.
"Two years is a long time to be out of the ring. In those two years I was always watching videos of my old fights, improving as a fighter. Maybe not punching, but doing a lot of shadow-boxing.
"It's been a long time out of the ring but I'm ready.
"I think I'm at the peak of my career now. I feel better now than I did when I was 28. I train smarter now. When I was younger I made mistakes - [I was caught with my] hands down.
"Now I'm smarter, I don't want to be caught with those big shots like the Canelo shot. Canelo, that night, would have knocked out a lot of welterweight fighters. He's a very big puncher."
Former super-lightweight world champion Khan believes more major fights are inevitable if he impresses against Lo Greco this weekend.
"I'm itching to get back in. Training camp went well - we made changes, obviously with [trainer] Virgil Hunter being sick we moved to Joe Goossen," he said.
"This is the longest he will get before a fight. We gave him 11 weeks. He is coming to win, not just to lay down.
"This fight takes us to the next level, where we want to be. The winner will go to world level.
"I really think there is a world title still, for me. The division is amazing - there are a lot of big names. There are fighters I think I can beat. I want to go back down to the 147lbs division, win a world title, then move onto other ways of taking big fights."
Khan has been consistently linked with a battle against British rival Kell Brook, whose own comeback in the 154lbs division was successful last month.
Watch Amir Khan: Off Limits at 9pm this Tuesday on Sky Sports Action.
Watch Khan vs Lo Greco from Liverpool, live on Saturday, April 21, on Sky Sports Main Event & Action, from 7.00pm.
