Khan starts training in the Philippines
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 03 Apr 2012
Amir Khan.
When Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach arrives tomorrow (Wednesday), he?ll find a lot of improvement in Amir Khan?s preparation for his coming grudge rematch against American Lamont Peterson this coming May 19 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
The 25-year-old Kahn, a former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation junior-welterweight champion, has, for the past week, been in deep training under the watchful eyes of conditioning expert Alex Ariza and local trainer Marvin Somodio.
?Yeah, even in the absence of Freddie, my preparation has been extensive since Alex and myself arrived here in Manila last March 25,? Khan, born and raised in Bolton, Lancashire, England to Pakistani father Shajaad Khan and mother Falak told this writer in an interview at the Planet Jupiter Gym in Makati City.
?Marvin here has been of great help. He?s very competent. I am not, in fact, missing Freddie,? Khan, a silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games while representing England, said of the Filipino trainer, a young former amateur fighter who is a member of the coaching staff of the Anson Tiu Co-owned Shape Up Boxing Gym inside the Cooyeesan Hotel in Baguio City.
Training regimen that started Tuesday includes a two-hour conditioning under Ariza in the morning at the ULTRA and another two-hour gym work under Somodio, himself an understudy of Roach the past three years. Somodio, Khan said, has been regularly reporting the status of training to Roach via overseas phone.
Khan has completed 12-rounds of doing the mitts with Somodio yesterday at the Jupiter Gym where he also works on the heavy bag, speed ball and skipping rope.
?Training is surprisingly turning out well, thanks to Alex and Marvin who have been turning no stone unturned to keep me in shape so that when Freddie arrives, everything would just be routinely easy,? Khan said. ?After the Holy week, when Freddie is already here, we?ll be proceeding to Baguio probably Monday to continue with our build up program.?
"We're working on tactics to win convincingly this time. We?ve studied what we did in the last fight, what we did wrong, what we should've done," Khan assured.
Khan (26-2 with 18 KOs) lost his twin belts to Peterson (30 -1-1 with 15 KOs) in a split decision last December in the latter?s hometown in Washington.
He left the United Kingdom last week and proceeded to Manila ahead of Roach for the purpose of joining World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao in his own preparations for his coming bout with American Timothy Bradley on June 9 in at the MGM Grand, also in Las Vegas.
Khan, who also arrived with uncle Taz Khan, said he also wants to take advantage of Baguio?s cold weather and high altitude which every boxer needs while in training, dismissing earlier reports thaxt he will be one of Pacquiao?s sparring mates.
?No, I won?t be sparring with Manny. That would be very dangerous because of the proximity of our respective fights. I fight nest month and he fights almost tgo months from now,? he reasoned out.
?The heat in Manila will help in making the weight, while Baguio?s cold weather and altitude will be a big factor in attaining the proper body conditioning and endurance,? he explained the choice of the Philippines as his training camp. Besides, here, I will be distraction-free.?
Khan has been in the country twice before, first during Pacquiao?s preparations against Shane Mosley and the last time in the Filipino icon?s build up for his Act III of his trilogy with Juan Manuel Marquez.
?I like the Philippines. It?s a beautiful country with beautiful and kind people,? Khan said while admitting that he?s getting married next summer with 21 year-old girlfriend Faryal, who like him has a Pakistani blood.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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