Alex Steedman / 10 May 2010 Free Bet View Market

"Khan's record of five KOs in his last six wins might be slightly deceptive. Kristjansen, Gomez and Fagan were domestic level, Barrera got cut and Salita was completely out of his depth. So Khan’s points win over Kotelnik in between is probably the barometer given he is a seasoned, though not brilliant, former World Champion – exactly like Malignaggi."

As Amir Khan begins his American adventure this weekend, British fight fans will think wistfully of another talented Asian fighter who crossed the Atlantic to make his name.

It is nearly 13 years since Naseem Hamed lit up Madison Square Garden in a four round barnburner against New Yorker Kevin Kelley. Six knockdowns later, Hamed had retained his title and won over the fans. How Khan would love to emulate his boyhood hero with a swashbuckling display, though perhaps without every inch of the drama.

Although he's not fighting in the Garden's big room, Khan is making his debut on HBO television and like Hamed, he's facing a slick, fast-talking local boy. Luckily, Pauli Malignaggi's fists and feet move almost as fast as his mouth which is just as well because Khan is one of the quickest boxers around and unusually, he comes into this fight as the puncher. Hence the deck is stacked in Khan's favour and the betting reflects that with the Brit a strong [1.19] favourite and Malignaggi a [6.0] underdog.

With a low voltage KO record of just five in 27 wins, Malignaggi is [8.0] for the stoppage which seems unlikely whatever your take on Khan's 'chin.' His only real hope of an upset rests in his ability to outbox our out-think Khan and there was a glimmer of hope in his back-to-form win last time against Juan Diaz. Malignaggi looked sharp and more like his old self that night, he says because of a move to new trainer Sherif Younan and a return to his old style.

Whatever, the truth is that form probably isn't good enough anyway. Diaz is a likeable but limited come-forward fighter who is essentially a lightweight and was sparked by Juan Manuel Marquez two fights back. Khan would be long odds on to beat him and fancied to stop him.
So this fight revolves around Khan and how he might get the job done. I have no doubt that the Bolton boy is becoming a man, physically, that he is both stronger and punching harder under the guidance of Freddie Roach as well as the conditioning of Alex Ariza. But his record of five KOs in his last six wins might be slightly deceptive. Kristjansen, Gomez and Fagan were domestic level, Barrera got cut and Salita was completely out of his depth. So Khan's points win over Kotelnik in between is probably the barometer given he is a seasoned, though not brilliant, former World Champion - exactly like Malignaggi.

Khan is [2.56] for the KO/TKO/DQ and Roach - so often on the mark with his predictions - reckons his man will get it done at that price and by that method. I can see a point whereby Amir can make the pressure tell and Malignaggi will be forced to dig deep. But it's worth remembering the Malignaggi who took an absolute thumping from a peak Miguel Cotto four years ago and who fought through that pain and with a broken jaw to hear the final bell. No way can Khan make Malignaggi hurt like Cotto could.

Some fans will point to the New Yorker's limp display against Ricky Hatton a year-and-a-half back when he was muscled out of it by the Hitman before retiring by his corner in the 11th. As subdued as he was there (whether it was a bad night or just a case of levels), the truth is Malignaggi wasn't being done over and I thought Buddy McGirt's retirement while sympathetic, was a little unfair. No surprise they parted company. Those two defeats underline Malignaggi loses to the good ones and Khan is approaching that zone.

The Brit needs a victory here, on American TV, as a platform for the next stage of his career. Juan Manuel Marquez had been talked of as an opponent but Malignaggi is still a name over there and so a key to so many attractively painted doors. Khan will want to sparkle and the stage is definitely set for a spectacular arrival. He can match Maliggnagi for speed, beat him for power and not worry as much as usual about what might come back at him; if ever the planets were aligned for a Khan Knockout, they are this weekend. Thirteen years on from his hero's sizzling performance in New York, Amir Khan walks in Naseem Hamed's shadow. Somehow I think Malignaggi might prove stubborn to the memories.

Verdict: Khan to win on points @ 2.4, 6PTS (SCALE 1-10)