Moments after Amir Khan dominated Paulie Malignaggi in his American debut in mid May he declared he wanted to fight again and soon. He even went as far as to say his preference would be at the end of July or early August before he begins his religious fasting for Ramadan begins.
On the same day as Khan’s beatdown of Malignaggi two possible future foe’s collided when Michael Katsidis and Britain’s Kevin Mitchell clashed. Katsidis proved to strong and to good stopping Mitchell in the third round thus very much putting himself in the box seat for a fight with Amir Khan.
However as time has passed in the ensuing weeks word was the Katsidis had turned down the fight. Not so according to Katsidis manager/trainer Brendon Smith who would say.
“Michael Katsidis has never pulled out of a fight with Amir Khan. I don’t believe a fight can be made because Michael is too much of a risk for Amir Khan”
Before continuing “I am confident in saying team Khan has viewed the tape of Michael with Kevin Mitchell and a cross would of went through Michael’s name immediately as an opponent as it did before when Malignaggi was selected for Amir’s US debut and therefore Joel Casamayor has now become a much safer choice”
British newspaper The Sun is reporting that Golden Boy have offered Casamayor in the region of £400,000 (Just short of $600,000) to face Khan on 31 July at London’s 02 Arena.
A disappointed Smith added that “I have never received an offer to fight Amir Khan with Michael, but I did have a discussion with Richard Schaefer who would love to put this fight on and knows we are available on the proviso that Michael is paid accordingly and trust me on this, only paid fairly and not over priced”
It’s not only Khan who isn’t safe from Smith’s broadside, European champion John Murray was also brought up.
“I am also sad to say that i am right on this one too. I have never heard back from his camp with any offer whatsoever. But this is not the first time this has happened as well. I have on a couple of occasion’s in the past (pre Mitchell fight) been contacted by team Murray but that is as far as it goes!”
The shame as Smith puts it is that neither British fighter will step up and fight Katsidis who is also popular in Britain having fought there twice previously when he KO’d both Graham Earl & recently Kevin Mitchell. Though he believes Katsidis must be doing something right if both are using Katsidis name to promote there own. He ended with this message for British fight fans.
“England your two great fighters have temporarily lost their balls and unless they find them quickly, you won’t be seeing Michael Katsidis in the opposite corner and that is the truth!!”
Just encase you missed it Michael Katsidis is available for a fight and he’d love it to be in Britain so he can attempt to complete his hatrick of victories over British fighters.
