Amir Khan Names New Trainer and New Opponent

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Pakistan-British boxer Amir Khan has named Virgil Hunter to replace Freddie Roach as his new trainer and has pegged unbeaten American fighter Carlos Molina in his next opponent. Khan  announced on his website that he had made the switch in trainers and that his next fight would be against Molina at a US venue with the date yet to be determined. Khan is attempting to halt a two bout losing streak.

“I’m really pleased that Virgil Hunter is to become my new trainer,” Khan stated. “Everyone in boxing knows about his skills and the success he has enjoyed over the last few years. “I’m looking forward to the start of my training camp and working on some new things with him. With Virgil in my corner, I know that I can get back to the very top of the light-welterweight division.”

Khan will train for the fight at Hunter’s gymnasium in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Most prominent among the fighters Hunter has trained is undefeated world super middleweight champion Andre Ward. “Amir is an extremely talented fighter and I’m very happy to become his new trainer,” Hunter said. “I have seen a lot of him and he has many attributes such as his speed and heart. There are certain small aspects of his game that I’m intending to work on in order to help him fulfill his enormous potential.”

Khan has 26 wins and 3 losses with 18 knockouts. He lost his past two fights, to unbeaten American fighter Danny Garcia in a fourth-round knockout last July after losing a controversial split decision to American Lamont Peterson last December. Molina, 17-0-1 with seven knockouts, will move up from the lightweight ranks to face Khan.

“Molina is a good fighter who has yet to taste defeat, so I know that he will be very dangerous,” Khan said. “He is a tricky fighter who possess a lot of natural speed. I always want to face hungry young fighters and in Molina I’m up against a guy who has ambitions of world title success.”

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