Amir Khan is looking sharp in sparring as he prepares for Marco Antonio Barrera, says conditioning expert Alex Ariza.
Amir ready for Barrera test says expert
Amir Khan is looking sharp in sparring as he trains for his
Sky Box Office showdown with Marco Antonio Barrera, according to conditioning expert Alex Ariza.
Khan is preparing in Los Angeles' Wild Card gym under the watchful eye of trainer Freddie Roach for his 14th March showdown with the Mexican, and all is going to plan says Ariza.
The Bolton lightweight has been locking horns with Manny Pacquiao's sparring partner Raymund Beltran in the ring and has looked sharp throughout.
"Amir looked very good," Ariza told
BoxingScene.com.
Khan is slowly shedding the pounds to get down to his fighting weight and Ariza is confident his charge will make the lightweight limit of 135lbs for Barrera.
"We'll be fine. Amir is looking to lose a pound a week up until the fight," he added.
Mistakes
Trainer Roach says he expects Khan to be too fast and too strong for the veteran Mexican but Barrera believes he can exploit Khan's "questionable chin".
The 35-year-old will be having his first major test at lightweight when he takes on Khan, but says the British boxer's flaws give him a big chance of victory.
He said: "I think he's a good fighter and has got speed - but he makes mistakes and his chin is questionable. I'm pretty sure I'm going to win."
With the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez now plying their trade in the hot lightweight division, there's plenty of incentive for Barrera to win this one, and he sees beating Khan as a stepping stone.
He said: "I want to make it clear I am still a contender. This fight will get me into the bigger fights. I just have to show up and win this fight and then I will get to those bigger fights again."
