Great Question.
Currently I wouldn't rank Amir Khan amongst the Top 5 Welterweights because I think the bulk of his accomplishments have come at Jr. Welterweight. Khan has fought twice at the 147lbs limit and the two fights he's won have really been unimpressive and uneventful in compression to the other Welterweights.
WIth that being said I also think that the rankings at Welterweight constantly shift because of the depth of talent and theres absolutely no reason Amir Khan can't beat any of the Top three-five Welterweights. I would consider Amir Khan a feasible opponent versus Bradley, Marquez, Porter, and Thurmond.
Khan not being ranked amongst the Top Five Welterweights is more a matter of extenuating circumstances; he's moved up in weight, he was inactive for a couple months because he thought he'd get Mayweather, and then he'll be inactive even longer because of his religious beliefs.
Nonetheless, lets not sell King Khan short here, he's a player, a wildcard that on any given night could very well be any Welterweight not named Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. I think once the issues with Khan even out he'll be right back in the mix.
I think Khan barely makes the top 6. It really depends on what happens in he next 6-9 months. Kell Brook increased his stock with his win over Sean Porter and I think Brook will be a force in he division.
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Mayweather and Pacquiao are still ahead of the rest with Floyd standing clearly over all of them. Maidana gets credit because he's facing Mayweather for a second time. I think Keith Thurman would beat Khan but Khan likely still ranks higher.
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Even though Bradley avoided Khan, it's still 'pick em' between these two. Marquez will always be troublesome for anyone he fights. However, defensive boxers will always trouble him. He loses a close one to Khan, IMO.
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Mayweather
Pacquiao
Brook
Maidana
Bradley
Khan
Porter
Thurman
Marquez
Guerrero
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The bottom 5 could change at almost any time.
1. Mayweather
2. Pacquiao
3. Bradley
4. Marquez
5. Porter
6. Maidana
That's my top 6, and no, Khan does not belong there. Even beyond that, you still have fighters like Thurman and Guerrero who have demonstrated themselves better at welterweight than Khan.
Nah he's not mate. He's good but he's not top 6. The 6 you listed are all better than Khan and in a rematch with Maidana he loses unless he employs the same 'gone like the wind' tactics he did against Collazo last time out (which I must say was very displeasing to watch)
Except for the IBF which rates his fellow Brit Kell Brook as number one, all three other major bodies, WBA, WBC and WBO have Khan at top six. I think we can't argue against that. Whatever we say, don't matter. Khan is top six welterweight according to the experts in the rating committees of those big three. And that's not just according to Eddie.
Not in terms of accomplishments. His welterweight resume is dog **** for someone being touted as a good fight for the best @ Welter: only Julio Diaz (very close and I think Diaz won, dropped Khan with a left hook right hook combo HARD) and Collazo (in a fight in which he dominated but was stumbled twice by a never was) are his only victims at Welter.
But I think he might bbe top 6 in terms of talent and ability to beat guys head to head. My top 6 at welter is:
1 TIE Manny Pac and Duckweather
2. n/a
3. Bradley
4. JMM
5. Porter
6. Thurman
It depends on somebody's opinion on how they see it. On me, he is not or not yet for now. Mine is the same as the list of Rich and the number seven is Guerrero or Maidana. Khan should avenge his losses instead of talking smack to have a fight with either Floyd or Manny. Not even a win against Guerrero alone can land him on the number seven spot but an additional win against Thurman or Maidana is surely enough to be on the top seven.
For me at the moment, no. A couple more wins against credible opponents though and he will be. He has all the tools to be great - but his inability to take a punch and willingness to get into scrappy toe-to-toe fights lets him down.
If Khan stayed disciplined and stuck to boxing instead of getting drawn into scraps he wouldn't even have to worry about his chin. On his day he has great defence and his speed is frightening. For me he has the fastest hands in the division.
His fight against Diaz wasn't his best performance, granted, he did get floored but still went on to win the fight. His fight against Collazo really impressed me though, he absolutely dominated the fight and knocked Collazo down 3 times. Collazo isn't world class but he's had multiple world title fights and he's a very tough fighter. To knock someone like him down 3 times is an achievement in itself. I don't think anyone else has managed that against Collazo...
In terms of talent he may be at number 6 but it would be difficult to put him there right now based off one good win over Collazo, he needs to do more at 147 first.
No. He is #8
Eddie F, who I respect, suggested that he is.
Nah, he's between 8 -10.
I think he needs to beat Guerrero next which he is fighting in December. Then that'd be enough for me.
