If Khan stayed with Oliver Harrison

Morning Folks

How do you think Amir Khan's career would have panned out if he stayed with Oliver Harrison as his trainer?

I always rated Harrison as a trainer and he seems to have done an excellent job with Martin Murray. Maybe not as experienced as Freddie Roach but still seems to get his fighters in great condition and with an excellent fight plan.

Khan still seems to have basic holes in his boxing game which going to LA was supposed to resolve such as inside fighting and defense. Do you think staying with Harrison would have changed this?

Cheers
Daz

Other people are more knowledgeable on this than me, but if Khan had stayed in this country, then the influence of his family and friends would have been more notable and likely to drive him the way of Naz. I think he did right to move to an established gym in LA. I doubt Harrison would have been listened to as much as Roach.

Agree with that bhb001 - although Khan has improved - perhaps not as much as we thought he would do under Roach. He works very hard and doesnt shy away from a touch training regime but surely Roach sees the gaps in Khan's skill set? Why havent they been addressed yet?

Roach is a very one dimensional trainer like almost all trainers today, they're good at what they do but tend to leave there fighters with glaring weaknesses.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:Roach is a very one dimensional trainer like almost all trainers today, they're good at what they do but tend to leave there fighters with glaring weaknesses.

Well said Ghosty. Oliver Harrison doesnt seem to have a set style with his fighters. If you look at the difference in Jamie Moore and Martin Murray.

Short term Roach was a good move but long term not so sure, he's never going to drastically improve his defence or inside fighting so think it's time to move on.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:Short term Roach was a good move but long term not so sure, he's never going to drastically improve his defence or inside fighting so think it's time to move on.

Agree with that also. I always thought a move to the Kronk Gym would have suited Khan much better.

He would certainly not have had the sparring he has had over in LA so I imagine he wouldn't have progressed as well as he has, despite the rather obvious flaws that still remain.

Regarding the gaps in his skill set, Daz, I am sure they have been addressed by Roach already, it still takes Khan to implement whatever they have worked on. If a bunch of guys on a boxing forum can spot his deficiencies, then I am sure Freddie Roach can, and has. I can't imagine Roach sends him out with the instuctions to wave his arms around when he gets tagged and show us all that he can take a shot.

Khan is still far from the finished article, and hopefully the Maidana fight and the especially the Peterson fight will force him to reassess his tactics when someone puts him under pressure.

Hope so Tino! He really does need to knuckle down and stop acting like a fool if he wants to progress.

Daz wrote:Hope so Tino! He really does need to knuckle down and stop acting like a fool if he wants to progress.

He does, for sure. He obviously trains very hard and has enormous talent, but I think the knockdowns early in his career and the Prescott hammering will forever play on his mind. He seems so determined to prove he can take a shot that he is becoming a bit of a caricature of himself now. We get it, you can stay on your feet, now move on and get back to what made you such a promising fighter.

Whether Roach is the right man for the job, well I am not sure, but a big percentage of the problems in Khan's game are between his ears and nowhere else.

Exactly! Couldn't agree more. He has more than proved he can take a shot. He has nothing to prove to us anymore - just get out there and fight the best you can!

Like you say - Roach will have said to him to stop acting like a fool and stick to the plan etc but it's obvious Khan isnt listening. Perhaps a more assertive trainer would give him the kick up the ass he needs.

As he also wouldn't have hooked up with Ariza, then I imagine he'd have been beaten again.

It was fitness mainly which got him through against Maidana and Peterson. The same freakish fitness Pacquiao exhibits, also. He ditched Ariza for the McCloskey fight and looked like garbage -- less speed, power, everything.

Yeah I think Ariza is a god send for Khan. Real task master. Good for Khan that he is so committed.