• Amir Khan controversy

Froch tells Khan to take class drop

ESPN staff
December 14, 2011
Amir Khan had points deducted against Lamont Peterson © Getty Images
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Carl Froch has told Amir Khan to lower his sights following his defeat to Lamont Peterson at the weekend.

Khan screamed robbery following his defeat to Peterson, but Froch feels he was beaten fair and square and believes his fellow Brit needs to go back to basics.

Froch claims Khan is improving as a fighter and is more durable, but feels it would be a mistake to step into the ring with the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jnr or Timothy Bradley.

"If that same fight had happened in Bolton then maybe he would have got the decision," he said. "But would it have been the fair decision? Probably not. I think he lost the fight, I really do.

"He's got to look at his own performance. I don't want this to come across like I'm giving Amir Khan any stick because he's young, fit, fast and talented and he belongs at world level. But let's not forget that the guy who beat him lost every round to Timothy Bradley in 2009.

"I wouldn't put Timothy Bradley in with Floyd Mayweather, and he's talking about a fight with Mayweather.

"So I think he just needs to take his time a little bit more now, go back to the drawing board as they say, and have a look at a couple more steady opponents."

Froch has urged Khan to take a break in order to refocus. He said: "I think he needs to have a breather. I don't think he should jump straight in with a rematch but I suppose he wants to get his titles back as quick as he can. They need to just take their time with him. He's been on a fast-track for a few years and he needs to just have a couple of sensible fights.

"He's developing strength all the time and getting stronger. He can hold a shot now, which he seemed to struggle to do before.

"So he's built in that area, his punch resistance is a lot better than it used to be, and in the next year or two he'll develop even more positively.

"So he needs to do that before he thinks about jumping in there with the likes of Mayweather or Timothy Bradley or anyone of that level. Because he could potentially come unstuck again."

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