Amir Khan v Carlos Molina: Khan to earn stoppage win in comeback fight

Khan and Molina match up in the early hours of Sunday morning

Amir Khans bids to redeem both his reputation and world title aspirations on Sunday morning and boxing fan Alex Steedman believes, with a new trainer in tow, King Khan will stop his opponent...

When Amir Khan walks toward the ring on Saturday night he will do so on the back of successive defeats, approaching the most important crossroad in his career to date. He will make that walk for the first time alongside Virgil Hill, the sixth and latest man to train Khan in this his 30th fight. The pair will enter the ring as overwhelming favourites too.

The trainer angle is potentially a significant one when considering the shape and likely outcome of this fight for in real terms, Carlos Molina is a fighter that Khan might normally be expected to blow away.

Molina - available to back at 10.09/1 to win the bout - is unbeaten and will enjoy home support but he's been operating largely around lightweight, is not known at all as a puncher and is hiking up in class significantly to take on Khan (1.121/8). This fight wouldn't have been on anyone's radar last year when Khan would have been a short-price to win by stoppage. The landscape has changed though.

Khan's controversial loss to the souped-up (PED version of) Lamont Peterson last December was followed by a thunderous knockout loss to emerging star Danny Garcia in July, bringing back memories of Breidis Prescott in 2008.

Khan rebounded from that brutal first round hammering to win world titles but his eagerness to engage in battles he is not designed to win has always remained a potential Achilles heel. Khan is a fighter at heart and he wants to please the fans but those are proving obstacles to winning big fights. This is where Hill comes in.

Celebrated as the handler of perhaps the most improved boxer in the sport today in Andre Ward, Hill has become flavour of the month in a sense. One could argue he had the tools to work with in Ward but there is something reassuring and studious about Hill and he looks a good fit for Khan.

Rebuilding Khan's confidence won't be a major issue but Hill is tasked with developing his defensive skills while honing Khan's all-round approach inside the ropes. It seems natural to assume there will be an element of trial and error, a less gung-ho attitude from Khan this weekend which may click the fight some rounds.

Khan simply must win, regardless; a loss to the unheralded Molina would be a mortal blow to Khan's career prospects in America.

Molina simply ought not to be good enough but he will have a go, the motivation is obvious with Khan a prized scalp and a springboard to better things. That may create opportunities for Khan as the fight progresses and he could just be way ahead of Molina's game. Remember Molina has gone the distance in seven of his last eight fights and only has seven knockouts on his resume; it could be that Khan can afford to take chances though whether Hill will allow him is another matter.

With so much talk of change and defensive developments and with all that is at stake in career terms for Khan, I am drawn to the possibility of a 12 round fight. But really the deposed 'King Khan' should be capable of dominating a guy like Molina, particularly if he wants to win back his crown.

Recommended Bet

Back Amir Khan to win by KO/TKO @ 1.42/5 or better