Why Khan needs Murray

Manchester Evening Newspaper James Robson7th October, 2009

NO sooner did Amir Khan become a world champion for the first time than he set his sights on breaking America - but the WBA light-welterweight champion would be better advised to look for challenges closer to home, namely that of John Murray.

Khan has set himself the lofty target of emulating and even surpassing Ricky Hatton as the darling of British boxing, a fighter who can transfer his popularity on home shores across the Atlantic and around the world as a box-office sensation.

What's more, the 22-year-old also believes he can do what Hatton never did and prove himself the pound-for-pound number one in the world.

His comprehensive points victory over Andreas Kotelnik in July suggested that in only a short space of time under master trainer Freddie Roach he has the potential to back up the lofty hype that has surrounded his career since his Olympic silver medal in 2004.

Surroundings

But if that fight - at a far from packed MEN Arena - told him anything, it is that it takes far more than potential and talent to emulate Hatton's rare popularity.

In the considerably more modest surroundings of Altrincham Leisure Centre last Saturday, Murray provoked a fervour unlike anything Khan has achieved in his career to date.

Obviously filling a leisure centre and filling a major arena are two completely different asks, but Murray's British title victory against Jon Thaxton was compelling evidence that he, more than Khan, is leading the race to succeed Hatton in the hearts of the Manchester public.

Creating a football-style atmosphere, there is a sense of belonging and empathy among Murray's followers that just doesn't appear to be the case with Khan's - an atmosphere that didn't even seem evident when Khan fought in his home town of Bolton at the Reebok Arena.

While fighting in America would help to spread his name around the world, it is unlikely to aid his popularity with the hometown support that proved the foundation to Hatton's incredible appeal.

Khan's first defence of the WBA title - against Dmitry Salita on December 5 - won't be in America, but Newcastle instead after promoter Frank Warren struggled to find television dates.

Clash

But if Warren was looking for a fight to capture the British public's imagination, he should have looked no further than Murray.

If only in the eyes of Manchester, Murray's name threatens to be a shadow that will hang over Khan until the two finally go head-to-head in the ring.

Warren has dismissed the possibility of a clash - but the promoter in him will surely recognise the box office potential of two of Britain's most talented fighters getting it on.

In a sport that often seems to be more about avoidance than pitting the best against the best, short of Hatton making a comeback, it is hard to imagine a more eagerly anticipated clash.

A clash for the people. And isn't that the whole point?

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