Amir Khan, the former unified world champion, has pointed to his fight against Canelo Alvarez as the one that changed his career. Khan says the 2016 bout had a lasting impact on his performance and how opponents approached him in the ring.
Khan's boxing journey started with a bang. He won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics when he was just 17. As a pro, he grabbed his first world title, the WBA strap, at 22. He racked up wins against tough fighters like Carlos Molina, Paulie Malignaggi, Luiz Collazo, Marcos Maidana, and Chris Algieri.
Khan's style was all about speed and footwork. He wasn't afraid to mix it up, leading to some thrilling fights. But in 2016, he took a big risk. He jumped up two weight classes to face Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
The fight didn't go Khan's way. Canelo stopped him in six rounds with a massive overhand right. Khan now says this knockout had a huge effect on him.
In a recent chat with Fast Slots, Khan opened up about the aftermath:
"I was never the same fighter again after facing Canelo. You can get knocked down, fine, you can get back up again, but the knockout Canelo gave me, it probably took five years off my life."
Khan says he wasn't scared to fight after that, but the impact on his body and mind was clear. He also noticed a change in how other boxers fought him. They all started looking for that one big shot.
After the Canelo fight, Khan picked up wins against Samuel Vargas and Billy Dib. But he also lost to Terence Crawford. His last fight was in 2022, a stoppage loss to his long-time British rival Kell Brook.
While Khan reflects on his career, Canelo Alvarez is still going strong. He's now the undisputed super-middleweight champion. He's set to face Terence Crawford in September, with Crawford moving up two weight classes for the super fight.
Khan's story shows how one fight can change a boxer's whole career. It's a reminder of the tough choices and big risks fighters take every time they step into the ring.
