Jim Watt expects Amir Khan to take the fight to Marcos Maidana and prove just how much he has matured.
Time for Khan to show us the boy has become a man
This fight is a gamble for Amir Khan, so where better for it to take place than Las Vegas?
There's no two ways about it, Marcos Maidana is a real threat. His punch alone means he is probably the toughest opponent Amir has faced, certainly since he has been world champion.
Golden Boy have picked Amir's route very carefully and you can't blame them. Being flattened by Breidis Prescott, and wobbled and put down by Willie Limond and Michael Gomez, showed there is a problem with his chin.
But while they have been carefully plotting his way to a world title and then picking his defences, Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza have been busy changing his body, changing his physical shape and changing the way he fights.
And now, with the work they have done, they must think he is ready to face probably the hardest puncher in the light-welterweight division.
There's no doubt Amir's body has changed beyond recognition, and there's no doubt that he is a completely different proposition to the one that was stunned by Prescott. He has matured physically, now it's time for him to show us that he has turned into a man as well.
There is no doubt that Maidana carries knockout power and that is what makes him so dangerous. We are still waiting to see what happens if Khan is caught flush on the chin - especially by this guy.
That will always be the big question mark against him and you have to think it's one that will be answered at some stage on Saturday night.
But Amir these days has learned how to lessen the risk. His chin will be tucked well out of the way and you won't see him rushing in like he did against Prescott. They have also changed his body shape which will help absorb a big shot, but until he does, we won't know if it's something that will hamper his progress.
Reflexes
We all know Maidana will be looking for it as well; whether he can get there or not remains to be seen. He strikes me as a pretty straightforward fighter and although he is a big puncher, Khan has the speed and reflexes to nulify that.
He has to make Maidana miss. That is far and away the best way to deal with a knockout artist; leave him swiping at air and he will soon get frustrated - and Khan is great at capitalising on openings.
But he cannot afford just to defend against Maidana; he has to go out and take the fight to him. Make him miss with three out of four punches and then the fourth time counter back - bang-bang-bang - and then move again. We know Amir has the footwork do that.
Maidana is used to being the aggressor but I see no reason why Amir cannot take the centre of the ring here. If he wants to put on a show for the watching Americans, he has to - and I am sure Freddie Roach has been working on doing just that.
When you're topping the bill in Vegas you need to do more than show good defensive skills and avoid being hit and I am sure we will see that from Amir.
Timing
People say he is not a big puncher and compared to the fellow in the other corner he might not be, but he is getting bigger and stronger all the time and with such good hand-speed and the timing he's always had, he can be just as hurtful.
And with a unification fight with the winner of Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley on the horizon, not to mention Juan Manuel Marquez, now is the time for Amir to show the world what he can do.
Beyond that, welterweight beckons and the likes of Shane Mosley and yes, even Floyd Mayweather. There's no doubt that's where he's headed, but all that will count for nothing if he doesn't take care of Maidana. That means concentrating for every second of every round, frustrating him and then taking the fight to him.
It sounds strange to say but I want to see Amir take one flush on the chin to prove he can. Beyond that, I think he has more than enough to deal with Maidana and I think we will see another excellent display.
My money would be on an impressive performance and a comfortable points win - but don't be surprised if Khan gets to him in the second half of the fight and forces a stoppage.
