Welterweight

Terry Flanagan makes the third defence of his WBO lightweight title against Mzonke Fana on Saturday.

The bout is part of a busy card in Cardiff, Wales, that also includes WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux taking on Englishman James "Jazza" Dickens.

The unbeaten Flanagan (30-0, 12 KOs) might have hoped for a bigger name in the opposite corner, but the experienced Fana (38-9, 16 KOs) is a two-time world champion at super featherweight.

Bleacher Report will provide live updates of the action from the Ice Arena Wales from 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET).

    

When: Saturday, July 16, 9 p.m. BST (4 p.m. ET)

Where: Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff, Wales

TV: BoxNation (UK)

Live stream: BoxNation (UK)

    

Looking Ahead

We're live on air at 6pm this Saturday from Cardiff!

Rigondeaux v Dickens

Flanagan v Fana

Williams v Corcoran

🔥 pic.twitter.com/d89mzsN6QP

— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) July 12, 2016

Flanagan is not the type of boxer to take his eye off the ball.

A down-to-earth character who hasn't let his status as a world champion change him too much, the 27-year-old from Manchester, England, knows he has to stay focused against Fana.

There are major fights on the horizon—but only if he retains his current status in the division. Without a belt, he becomes a tricky southpaw few other lightweights will want to face.

It seems a unification fight with WBC holder Dejan Zlaticanin could be on the cards for later in the year, as Flanagan told Tom Gray of The Ring magazine:

I’m looking to get Fana out the way and then I’ll be going after (Dejan) Zlaticanin’s WBC title.

(Promoter) Frank (Warren) has held talks with his team and they are happy to go ahead with that unification match. If I can get past Fana and Zlaticanin, [Anthony] Crolla will have to fight me because I’ll be number one at lightweight.

The Crolla fight is the one Flanagan really wants. So too do British boxing fans.

The two Manchester lads went to the same school and a clash between two world champions (Crolla holds the WBA strap) from the same city would be a special occasion indeed.

However, Crolla is scheduled to defend against Jorge Linares on September 24. It seems Flanagan will have to wait to get his wish, possibly until 2017.

Still, before he can contemplate Crolla, Zlaticanin or any other of the leading names at 135 pounds for that matter, he must first take care of business against Fana.

    

Golden Oldie

Fana: "I've come here with and mission and with a vision of winning the world title for a third time" pic.twitter.com/vSBraMh1vu

— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) July 12, 2016

Fana will be aiming to roll back the years at the weekend.

The South African built his reputation at super feather, twice enjoying stints as IBF champion.

He also challenged for the WBC title way back in 2005 but lost to the great Marco Antonio Barrera inside two rounds.

Since moving up to lightweight, The Rose of Khayelitsha has experienced a mixed bag of results.

He is the reigning South African champion but has suffered defeats to Paulus Moses, Edis Tatli, Xolisani Ndongeni and Hedi Slimani.

At the age of 42, the one opponent Fana cannot hope to beat is Father Time.

However, he believes there's still plenty left in the tank yet, particularly as his last two outings have seen him record victories inside the distance.

Per Mesuli Zifo of BoxingScene.com, Fana said: "I know I am being seen as an easy payday for Flanagan but I know what I’m capable of. I have dealt with young boxers who saw me as an old man and if Flanagan thinks the same he is in with a shock."

But Fana is an old man. It's up to him to prove he still belongs at the highest level, having not been involved in a world-title fight since losing to Cassius Baloyi in 2008.

    

Prediction

Fana is talking a good game, yet can he produce a notable performance at the tail end of his career? In a word—no.

It doesn't help his cause that Flanagan, who, per Odds Shark, is 1-100 to retain his crown, is a dedicated champion.

The Mancunian knows what is at stake, and while it may take him a little time to get to grips with his challenger, he will triumph inside the distance. Look for him to force a stoppage in the middle rounds.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is that guy who still carries cash—you know, just in case.

Say, for instance, he needs to buy a multimillion-dollar mansion in Miami Beach but is out of checks. Better to be prepared, right?

The still-retired welterweight boxer dropped $7.7 million on his new 5,200-square-foot home—which he paid for in full with cash, according to Neal J. Leitereg of the Los Angeles Times.

The "Money" crib is equipped with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a floating staircase, and formal living and dining rooms:

16 incredible photos of @FloydMayweather's new house. https://t.co/eNT12iMpXZ pic.twitter.com/9IVTec0xM3

— ThePostGame (@ThePostGame) May 31, 2016

[Twitter, h/t For The Win]

"Sugar" Shane Mosley's (49-9-1, 41 KOs) spot in the Boxing Hall of Fame is already cemented, but the 44-year-old remains active. On Saturday at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Mosley will challenge WBA interim welterweight champion David Avanesyan (21-1-1, 11 KOs) for his title.

Here's the viewing information for the bout:

When: Saturday, May 28 at 10:30 p.m. ET

Where: Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona

TV: CBS Sports Net

Live Stream: CBSSports.com

What's on the Line?

The stakes are high in this bout, as the winner will become the mandatory challenger for the WBA regular title. On June 25, titleholder Keith Thurman will defend his belt against Shawn Porter in a much-anticipated bout.

The winner of Mosley-Avanesyan will be Porter's opponent in his first defense of the title, or Thurman's foe in his next attempt to retain the belt.

Currently, the organization has an interim, regular and super champion, and the WBA has recently made strides toward recognizing one individual champion per weight class. Mandating the winners of these two fights face each other is in line with that theme.

If Mosley and Porter both win, it could create a problem. The two men have known each other for years, and Mosley doesn't seem keen on facing Porter.

Per Box Nation, the future Hall of Famer said this during the pre-fight media day festivities on Monday: “I’m not looking to fight him, he’s like my little brother. I can’t see myself fighting him unless they give us $10 million apiece!”

That payday isn't realistic, so Mosley could vacate the interim belt if he and Porter win their fights. In any case, the WBA would still consolidate the lesser titles to crown the winner as the only 147-pound champion in the organization.

Last Time Out

Avanesyan Blows Past Navarro

Avanesyan won the interim title in his last bout. He stopped Charlie Navarro in the ninth round in November 2015, and it was his eighth consecutive victory. 

The 27-year-old from Pyatigorsk, Russia, has never faced an opponent with the experience and notoriety that Mosley will bring into the ring, but facing a man 17 years his senior could benefit the champion. Apparently, oddsmakers like Avanesyan's chances to win. 

According to OddsShark.com, every listed outlet has Avanesyan as the favorite to retain his title.

Mosley Stops Lopez Late

Back in December 2015, Mosley scored a 10th-round TKO victory over Patrick Lopez in Panama. It was Mosley's second victory in a row. He dropped Lopez in the second round before the fight was stopped in its final frame.

No one would mistake the 44-year-old version of Mosley for the one that won four world titles from 135 pounds to 147, but he's still got enough in the tank to be competitive against mid-tier fighters. 

The question is: Does Avanesyan fall into that category?

Prediction

Mosley stays in excellent shape, but when he was in his prime, his best attribute was his speed. At 44, he doesn't have the swift hands or reflexes to slip punches as well as he once did.

Avanesyan's defense isn't stellar. He comes in recklessly at times, but his hands are quicker than Mosley's, and he's a good puncher. Avanesyan also switches from orthodox to southpaw mid-round.

Combining the variety of looks he can give Mosley with his speed advantage, Avanesyan should retain his title via unanimous decision and keep himself in line to face the winner of Thurman vs. Porter. 

---

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Former world champions, "Vicious" Victor Ortiz (31-5-2, 24 KO) and Andre Berto (30-4, 23 KO) will renew acquaintances on Saturday from the StubHub Center in Carson, California. The two men had one of the most thrilling fights the sport of boxing has seen in the last five years back in April 2011.

Ortiz won a knockdown-drag-out affair by unanimous decision. Both fighters hit the canvas twice in the fight. Fans can only hope the rematch is half as good as the original.

Here's how you can watch:

When: Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: StubHub Center in Carson, California

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Last Time Out

Ortiz Stops Leon

Continuing his comeback to the sport after losing by knockout against Luis Collazo in January 2014, Ortiz scored an eighth-round TKO win over Gilberto Sanchez Leon in December 2015. The latter came into the fight with 13 losses in his career.

It was Ortiz's second straight bout with an opponent with double-digit losses. Before that, he defeated Manuel Perez in December 2014.

The rematch with Berto is Ortiz's first fight against an opponent with some notoriety. Per ESPN.com's Brian Campbell, Ortiz said he "will end" Berto, and he also wants to rule both the 147- and 154-pound divisions.

It's nice to have dreams, but Ortiz had better focus on beating Berto before he gets too far ahead of himself.

Berto Outclassed by Mayweather

In September 2015, Berto got his shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr. Like the 48 fighters before him, Berto failed to put a stain on Mayweather's unblemished record. In an uneventful bout, Mayweather used superior quickness, footwork and spatial awareness to baffle Berto for 12 rounds en route to a unanimous-decision win.

On Saturday, Berto won't be facing an opponent who is arguably the greatest fighter of all time. However, he will be in the ring with a man who has already gotten the best of him once. Can he get revenge?

Prediction

Despite Berto (32) being three years older than Ortiz (29), the former will prove to have more left in the tank. Ortiz has earned a reputation as a quitter in his career.

He bowed out of a tough fight with Marcos Rene Maidana in June 2009 after sustaining some facial damage from cuts and swelling. In September 2011, Ortiz faced Mayweather and resorted to using headbutts after being frustrated. Mayweather would knock him out in the fourth round with a controversial retaliatory punch. 

In the next fight, Ortiz suffered a broken jaw against Josesito Lopez, and he quit in that one as well. Ortiz has also pursued a career outside of boxing in movies like Expendables 3 and Southpaw. He has also been a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

Since Ortiz has only fought twice since January 2014, this is the perfect setup for a disappointing performance from the 29-year-old. Berto will win the rematch via seventh-round TKO.

Kell Brook makes the third defence of his IBF welterweight title against Kevin Bizier in Sheffield, England, on Saturday.

The unbeaten Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) has not been seen in a ring since May 2015. He was due to face Diego Gabriel Chaves in October, only for a rib injury to force the bout to be called off.

Also on the bill, Luke Campbell (12-1, 10 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first professional loss when he goes up against the experienced Gary Sykes (28-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title.

Campbell was surprisingly beaten by Frenchman Yvan Mendy in December 2015, a result that led to a change in his corner. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist has now teamed up with respected Cuban trainer Jorge Rubio.

Keep up to date with the action with Bleacher Report's live blog:

Kell Brook makes the third defence of his IBF welterweight title when he takes on Kevin Bizier at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England, on Saturday.

The unbeaten Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) has not been seen in a ring since recording a stoppage win over fellow Englishman Frankie Gavin on May 30, 2015.

Bizier (25-2, 17 KOs), meanwhile, moved into the position of mandatory challenger by ruining Fredrick Lawson's perfect record.

Also on the card, Olympic champion Luke Campbell looks to bounce back from a first professional loss (suffered against Yvan Mendy) when he takes on Gary Sykes for the Commonwealth lightweight title.

When: Saturday, 10 p.m. GMT (6 p.m. ET)

Where: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England

TV: Sky Sports (UK), Hungary Sport 2 (Hungary)

Live stream: SkyGo (UK—subscription required)

Groundhog Day

.@SpecialKBrook & Bizier head to head #BrookBizier #AllOfTheLights pic.twitter.com/Ni45uNVnjT

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 24, 2016

On March 28, 2015, Brook defended his belt for the first time against Jo Jo Dan—his mandatory challenger—in his home city of Sheffield.

Now, just less than a year later, The Special One is back at the same venue, fulfilling the same obligation. Facing mandatories wasn't quite what he hoped would follow after he out-pointed Shawn Porter to become a world champion.

His best attempts to lure Amir Khan into a money-spinning battle of Britain have failed to pay off, for now at least.

There was also talk of a fight with Brandon Rios in 2015, but that never made it beyond the negotiation stage. There was, however, a date set for a bout with Diego Gabriel Chaves, only for Brook to pull out of the Oct. 24 clash after suffering a rib injury in training.

The 29-year-old said it has been a frustrating period in his career—but he is now focused on beating Bizier and retaining his crown, per Isaac Robinson of SkySports.com: 

You've got to be careful how you approach a fight. You've can't go in with anger or anything else. I'm going to go in there and enjoy myself because I've done my hard work in the gym. It's about having fun on the night. 

I'm not looking for a stoppage. I won't force it. I think it'll come to me. When I see the right shot and the right opportunity to take him out, then I will.

A win will no doubt lead to further talk about facing Khan, who is preparing to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on May 7 in Las Vegas.

However, there are plenty of other options out there, and not just at welterweight. 

According to Chris McKenna of the Daily Star, promoter Eddie Hearn has even held discussions over bouts with Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin, with the latter looking for a catchweight contest similar to Canelo's showdown with Khan.

It is always fun to play the name game with Brook, who is at the stage of his career where he needs big fights to cash in on his years of hard work.

First, though, he has to take care of business against Bizier.

Under Pressure

It is easy to look at Bizier's record—more importantly his two career defeats—and suggest he doesn't have much of a hope on Saturday.

The Canadian's only losses as a pro came in two fights with Dan, whom Brook had few problems dealing with.

On both occasions, Bizier came out on the wrong end of a split-decision result. Dan boxed and moved to keep out of range, which allowed him to triumph narrowly on the scorecards.

But styles make fights, and Bizier found the previously unbeaten Lawson much more to his liking in November 2015. He forced his American opponent to retire in Round 10 of their final eliminator, booking a trip to England to face the champion Brook as a result.

He doesn't expect the Englishman to follow Dan's style guide, per Matthew Treadwell of SkySports.com.

"I'm a strong guy and I like to have a fight. Dan is more stylish but also relies on holding too," Bizier said. "Lawson was the kind of guy I like to fight as he wants to trade punches and I like that, Kell is open too so I think that our styles will gel."

The 31-year-old from Quebec defeated Guiseppe Lauri—a former European super lightweight champion—and Nate Campbell in 2013, albeit both men were past their prime years at the time.

He also boasts an impressive knockout ratio of 63 per cent, although trying to blast out Brook would be a dangerous way to go.

Still, Bizier plans to apply pressure from the outset, per Matchroom Boxing: "Brook is a big hitter who manages distance well, I’ll have to get into the pocket. Boxing inside will give me a better chance to win."

If he sticks to his word, the main event should be entertaining to watch. 

Prediction

Bizier has talked a good game in the buildup, but he faces a huge challenge in his first outing at world level.

Those defeats to Dan stick out like two sore thumbs on his record. They also explain why he is a 12-1 underdog, according to Odds Shark.

It is tough to make a case for Bizier winning, no matter what tactics he uses. Brook will cope with the pressure, and his power will allow him to retain his crown with a stoppage between Rounds 4 and 6.

Then, the talk can again turn to possible opponents for a huge summer fight, either at home or in the United States.

Sam Eggington puts his British and Commonwealth titles on the line when he faces fellow welterweight Bradley Skeete in Birmingham, England, on Saturday.

The fight tops a Matchroom Boxing bill at the Genting Arena that also includes appearances from not one but two of the Yafai brothers.

Khalid goes up against Dixon Flores for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Super Flyweight strap, while younger sibling Gemal takes on Bobby Jenkinson for the Commonwealth super bantamweight belt.

Both men will need to box and trade in stages - who will prevail?
British & Commonwealth Welter titles at stake! pic.twitter.com/s3LxNJMzYr

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 3, 2016

When: Saturday, March 5, 10 p.m. GMT (5 p.m. ET)

Where: Genting Arena, Birmingham, England

TV: Sky Sports (UK—subscription required)

Live stream: SkyGo (subscription required)

Upward Curve

A run of eight straight wins, a streak that has seen him become British and Commonwealth champion along the way, has seen Eggington emerge from the boxing shadows in the Midlands.

The Savage (17-2, 9 KOs) has been beaten twice in his career, by Dale Evans and Johnny Coyle (in a Prizefighter tournament).

He avenged the loss to Welshman Evans—who replaced the injured Frankie Gavin—last time out, battling his way to a unanimous points win in their rematch in Birmingham.

However, Eggington has also shown he has the power to put away opponents inside the distance.

He impressively stopped the previously unbeaten Shayne Singleton in Hull, England, in March 2015:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB8qW1ZNwRE

While he has developed a strong fanbase for his love of a scrap, Eggington cannot afford to get by on just brawling as he moves up through the levels.

He wants to win a Lonsdale belt for keeps, per Stephen Turner of Sky Sports: "I am planning to win the British belt outright. It is my first fight of the year and this is my mandatory and hopefully by the middle of the year I can have a voluntary and win the belt outright and be pushing on for other things."

For that to happen, the 22-year-old has to clear a tricky hurdle in Skeete on Saturday night.

But, the prospect of facing a technically gifted fighter doesn't worry Eggington, per Tim Hobbs of Sky Sports: "It's a good 50-50 fight, but I am more than confident I will do more than a good job on him."

Capital Gains

Londoner Skeete (22-1, 10 KOs) will be fighting outside the English capital for the first time in his professional career.

However, the 28-year-old is more experienced than his next opponent, having boxed 140 rounds compared to Eggington's total of 99, and has won the WBO European belt already.

He also claimed the English title by defeating veteran Colin Lynes in 2013, but the biggest name on Skeete's record belongs to the only man to beat him so far.

Former amateur world champion Gavin denied Skeete in his first attempt to win the British and Commonwealth belts in 2014, winning a tight contest on points at the ExCel Arena in London.

Skeete's response to the setback has been impressive. He's reeled off four straight wins since, setting him up for a second crack at the titles.

Per Matchroom Boxing, the mandatory challenger is ready to do whatever it takes to come out on top:

It is a fight and anything can happen. I know I can’t just go in there and box my way through the fight. I have seen Sam fight and I know what he is all about so I know there will be times I will need to fight and times I will need to box. It is a big arena, a headline fight, and I am expecting a good, hard fight.

Eggington acknowledged his rival's skills at the pre-fight press conference, per Sky Sports' Ed Robinson on Twitter:

Sam Eggington & Bradley Skeete both softly spoken & respectful of each other when asked about the fight. Sam expects to lose rounds.

— Ed Robinson (@EdRobinsonBox) March 3, 2016

Skeete has the style but now must show he has the substance to come through a tough assignment on the road.

Prediction

An intriguing clash between two talented domestic fighters could go either way.

Per Odds Shark, Skeete is the slight underdog at 6-5. However, if he does his level best to avoid being dragged into a war with Eggington, the visitor's technical abilities can see him prevail.

It has the ingredients to be a cracker, with the challenger winning on points after 12 absorbing rounds.

The WBC has made it clear: Danny Garcia must defend his welterweight title against Amir Khan by June or else give up the belt.

Garcia claimed the vacant strap thanks to a unanimous points win over Robert Guerrero on Jan. 23, with all three judges scoring the contest 116-112.

Khan—already confirmed as the mandatory challenger—was in the audience at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He had a front-row view to watch his next potential opponent, although he knows plenty about Garcia already.

The pair fought at light welterweight in Las Vegas back in July 2012. Garcia—a late replacement after Lamont Peterson tested positive for a banned substance—was a heavy underdog, despite already being in possession of the WBC’s belt at 140 pounds.

Garcia, though, found a way to cause an upset.

He knocked down Khan—who was reinstated as the WBA’s Super champion once Peterson was discovered to have taken a synthetic testosterone—three times before stopping him in Round 4.

The key moment came in Round 3, however, when Khan took a left hook to the neck.

The blow turned him into the boxing equivalent of a myotonic goat, as his muscles froze temporarily when in a state of panic (take a look at the fainting goats on YouTube). Legs locked, Khan fell straight back, bouncing his head against the canvas.

He survived the ensuing onslaught after the knockdown, but the break between rounds only provided brief respite.

In the aftermath to the shock loss, boxing journalist Gareth A Davies wrote about Khan in the Telegraph: "He will be accused of being 'overprotected, over-hyped'. Khan remains hugely exciting as a fighter, a man with massive desire and heart and clear brilliance in his athletic abilities. Yet his flaws are clear to see."

That was in 2012, and yet those same words still ring true now.

Since the defeat to Garcia, Khan has recorded five successive wins. He showed off his dazzling boxing skills in dismantling Devon Alexander in December 2014, Yet, since that stellar display, he has fought just once, beating Chris Algieri on points after an easily forgettable 12 rounds.

While he hasn't been active in the ring over the year, he has been busy talking to the media.

Khan chased Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He chased them hard. His pursuit of the former bordered on the obsessive. Even now, with Money retired, Khan hasn't given up, telling TMZ Sports: "It seems to me that Mayweather's afraid and he might just not ever want to fight me."

Since he is pricing himself out of a domestic showdown with fellow Englishman and IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, according to promoter Eddie Hearn on Twitter, Garcia is his best option.

He asked for a £10m guarantee with upside to fight Brook with Kell getting approx £2 to £2.5m. After I spat my coffee out we said no thanks

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) January 22, 2016

A Wembley showdown—Hearn pre-emptively booked the venue for the first weekend in June—with Brook makes the most sense financially, but a second clash with Garcia appears to be a bigger draw for Khan. You are better with the devil you know than the devil you don’t, right?

Khan is adamant he would come out on top second time around, telling John Dennen of Boxing News:

I know the mistakes I made in the first fight and believe me I will not be making them again. I was very comfortable boxing him in the first fight and won the first three rounds very easy. I allowed the trash talk beforehand to get to me and I went looking for the knockout too early when he was still dangerous. I’ve definitely become a smarter fighter and a better one since then and I’m sure that if we meet again it will be a totally different outcome.

The boxer from Bolton is right in one respect: He was "comfortable" when boxing Garcia in the early stages.

Per CompuBox stats, Khan landed 56 punches, 33 of them jabs, over the first six minutes. Garcia, in contrast, found the target with just 18 shots and didn’t even connect with a jab in Round 1.

It all went downhill, and quickly, for Khan in Round 3. His confidence led to him venturing in too close, and he got caught with Garcia’s best punch, a left hook, thrown on the counter.

Khan, who had been riled by the pre-fight antics of Angel Garcia, Danny’s father and trainer, paid the price for betraying the tactics devised in conjunction with his then-trainer, Freddie Roach.

Instead of continuing to box at a distance, using his superior hand speed to wear down Garcia, he foolishly put himself in a situation where the odds were no longer heavily stacked in his favour.

Against Alexander, with Virgil Hunter now working his corner, Khan carried out the plan he should have followed against Garcia to perfection.

According to CompuBox stats (h/t BoxingScene.com), he landed 123 jabs and 120 power punches over the 12 rounds with Alexander. In contrast, his opponent hit him with 22 jabs at a success rate of 9 per cent.

Khan, however, will do well to ever prove the doubters wrong about one aspect—his chin.

Garcia is one of only two men to have beaten the silver medallist from the 2004 Olympics inside the distance. Heavy-handed Colombian Breidis Prescott was the other, back in 2008, and both stoppages were triggered by left hooks.

Marcos Maidana did everything but knock down Khan during Round 10 of their 2010 meeting in Las Vegas. While the Bolton boxer somehow managed to stay upright on that occasion, Julio Diaz put him on the canvas in 2013.

When he is buzzed, it seems to flick a switch inside Khan's head. He changes from skilled practitioner to jelly-legged cannon fodder. The notion you have a fight-or-flight response when coming under attack suggests you automatically choose one of the two options. Khan, though, seems to hover between both.

Rather than hang on and gain precious seconds to try to recover his senses, he backtracks and offers a flimsy defence that is the boxing equivalent of attempting to stop a tidal wave with a tea towel.

For example, take a look at what happened in Round 10 against Maidana (from 2:49 in the clip):

Khan is caught by a right hand thrown from so far back that his rival must have launched it a full week in advance. His response at first is to hold on for dear life, but then he resorts to retreating and pushing.

Against Garcia, he deployed the same survival methods, at least to a certain extent:

There was not so much backpedalling (but still the pushing, something that cost Khan two crucial points in his controversial loss to Peterson in 2011) but also a foolish desire to stand and trade.

He even became the aggressor out of the two boxers late in Round 4, only to take a punch to the top of the head that knocked him down for a third and final time.

While Khan can work hard in the gym on his defensive technique, he has shown a weakness when it comes to absorbing shots.

No matter how many times he switches trainers, no matter how much work he puts in at the gym, his powers of recovery are not going to dramatically change at this stage of his career.

Khan’s fragility is part of what makes him a must-watch fighter, yet his once-promising career is stagnating.

Now is the time to take a gamble, and at least against Garcia, he knows what to expect. That counts for both Danny in the ring and father Angel in the pre-fight press conferences.

Garcia also knows that, no matter how many of Khan’s jabs he has to eat, he can change the entire complexion of the fight with one single punch.

His career knockout ratio of 56 per cent doesn't suggest he is a concussive puncher. But he does at least have a mental edge in knowing he can hit Khan hard enough to stop him in his tracks.

The win four years ago at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino helped lift Garcia's profile. He successfully defended his two belts four times at light welterweight before making the move up to the 147-pound division.

Now, Garcia requires a big fight at welterweight, as Lou Catalano of the Queensbury Rules pointed out in the Guardian:

Garcia sparked Amir Khan, before defeating the murderous-punching Lucas Matthysse in 2013. He was the king at 140lbs. Since then, he’s become one of the most despised fighters in the sport. He was gifted a decision against Mauricio Herrera. Then he ruined Salka, a lightweight he had no business fighting. Next, another questionable decision victory over Lamont Peterson, followed by another easy victory over the completely shot Paulie Malignaggi. Not exactly a murderer’s row. Not exactly a career-building resume. But this isn’t all on Garcia.

Garcia needs a name of note to fight, while Khan just needs to get back in the ring. It's the perfect combination with a world title thrown in to boot.

The not-so-shy Angel Garcia believes going over old ground makes no sense, per Mitch Abramson of RingTV.com: "Why would we fight Khan? There are bigger names out there right now. Khan had his time. He made a lot of money in boxing. I don’t know why he stood around waiting for Floyd (Mayweather) to fight. It never happened. I don’t see (this fight) taking place."

The WBC's order, however, might leave the Garcia family with no other option but to revisit the past. 

As for Khan, the fight with Brook is not going to be taken off the table—the appetite to see it happen wouldn't disappear even if both suffered losses—but the opportunity for a rematch with Garcia may not come around again.

What is most important of all is that the 29-year-old just gets back in the ring. As former world champion-turned-television pundit Johnny Nelson told Sky Sports: "Khan is an amazing fighter, but people will start forgetting that because of his lack of fighting over the past two years."

His detractors won't ever let Khan forget the knockouts he has suffered as a pro, but getting revenge on Garcia would right one of the wrongs and give some of his doubters food for thought.

Follow @RobLancs79

Timothy Bradley has given a strong indication he will target Manny Pacquiao's recently injured right shoulder in an attempt to beat the Filipino when the pair face off on April 9.  

The clash at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be the third fight between the duo and Pac-Man's first since his May 2015 defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr., which he partially blamed on the recurrence of a shoulder injury, per Alexander Ward of the Independent. 

Since the defeat to Money, Pacquiao has been working back to full fitness—although Freddie Roach, his trainer, and promoter Bob Arum have their concerns over how seriously he took his rehab—and Bradley has now implied he will use the shoulder to his advantage, per BoxingScene.com's Radio Rahim: "I think the answer would be—what would you do? C'mon, let's think here. You are a smart guy. What would you do? Would you target that shoulder? What would you do? I will do whatever it takes to win."

The ever-popular Pacquiao, 37, announced that the welterweight clash with Bradley will be the final fight of his career, per Sky Sports News HQ:

Manny Pacquiao confirmed to #SSNHQ that his bout with Timothy Bradley will be the last of his career. pic.twitter.com/QkQcQOGi1u

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 21, 2016

He will look to go out on a high, but Bradley will be no pushover, having earned a knockout victory over Brandon Rios in his last fight in November.

The first time Bradley and Pacquiao fought, the American won a highly controversial split-decision victory in 2012—see the highlights below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0zSitKpylE

The 2014 rematch saw Pac-Man dominate in a unanimous-decision triumph. There was very little clamour for a third bout to go ahead, and many fans were disappointed when it was announced that Pacquiao would fight Bradley in his first post-Mayweather encounter, per Allan Fox of Boxing News 24.

However, it is now going ahead and will (probably) be the last chance ever to see the eight-division champion in action.

Pacquiao's fans will hope that he has fully recovered from his shoulder injury, as it seems clear that Bradley is set to target it in order to claim victory.

He will undoubtedly want to go out with a bang, and a knockout win (potentially the 39th of his storied career) would be a fitting way for him to take his leave from the sport.