• Boxing

Khan calls out Alexander and Bradley

ESPN staff
May 16, 2010
Amir Khan is intent on clearing the light-welterweight division © Getty Images
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Amir Khan has trained his sights on unifying the 140-pound division rather than stepping up in weight following his classy win over Paulie Malignaggi.

Khan showed his boxing prowess on his first fight on US soil as he did a job on Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden. The American was well behind on the cards when the referee called a halt to the fight in the 11th round.

There has been talk that Khan may be forced to step up from light-welterweight sooner rather than later, but he is intent on winning his mandatory defence against Marcos Maidana before taking the belts of Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley.

"Maidana is a great fighter, but I know I can beat him," Khan said. "I'd like to fight him next and I feel I've made a statement with this win.

"I'll fight Maidana and Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley fight, like two semi-finals, and then the winners can fight each other to see who is the No. 1.

"I won't leave this division until I have unified it and proved I am the No 1."

There was some pre-fight nastiness but Malignaggi was full of praise for Khan after the bout.

"I ran into a clone of myself of when I was younger. But he was faster and stronger," Malignaggi said. "He's bigger and stronger. But I gave it all I had."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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