It’s an important night in the fighting career of Amir Khan as he looks to restore his reputation with victory over Carlos Molina, a fight which will be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports.
Five months on from his shock defeat to Danny Garcia, the British light-welterweight steps into the ring against his unbeaten American opponent in Los Angeles this Saturday night (December 15) for a fight he has openly admitted will make or break his career.
Also on the night, George Groves defends his Commonwealth super-middleweight title against the veteran Glen Johnson as part of a bumper fight night at London’s ExCeL arena which also features Billy Joe Saunders and five title fights in total – all live on subscription channel BoxNation.
Full TV details below:
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The 32nd and final major boxing event of the year on Sky Sports has all the makings of a thrilling contest, as Amir Khan faces a career-defining fight against the unbeaten Carlos Molina.
Khan was knocked out for the second time in his career when defending his WBA and WBC world titles against Garcia in July.
The Brit had looked in firm control during the opening two rounds and for much of the third before the unfancied challenger caught him unawares with a devastating left hook.
The round-ending bell brought the 2004 Olympic silver-medalist some respite, but he could not recover and was floored again in the fourth to end the contest.
After his calls for a rematch were rejected, Khan moved quickly to move on from trainer Freddie Roach, citing his need to be the number one focus within his camp.
Virgil Hunter, the man who guided Andre Ward to the WBC and WBA super-middleweight titles last year, has stepped into the breach and Kahn is currently training in Oakland ahead of this bout.
Hunter has claimed his new protégé does not have an understanding of boxing, something the Brit has not disagreed with.
Potentially seeing a new-look Amir Khan stepping out of the corner on December 15 adds yet another flavour to an already tasty contest.
But in Molina, he is meeting a boxer who cannot be underestimated.
The American has yet to suffer defeat in his 17-bout professional career and is making the bold decision to step up from the lightweight division in order to fight the British number one.
The WBO inter-continental lightweight champion is known to be a fast and skilful boxer, but also one who lacks a big punch.
That said, it only took one careless moment from ‘King Khan’ to leave his chin exposed against Garcia and he was on the mat.
Khan is putting his career on the line in Los Angeles and Sky Sports will show every round of his career defining bout live.
Gary Newbon presents live coverage on Sky Sports 1 HD from 2am, with Adam Smith and Johnny Nelson stationed ringside in LA.
Studio analysis comes from Glenn McCrory and Jamie Moore.
Big fight commentary comes from Nick Halling and Jim Watt.
Sky’s coverage also features live action from selected undercard fights ahead of the main event.
A half-hour Fight Night Countdown preview show building up to the big fight will be broadcast by Sky Sports on the Friday evening (first showing – 6.30pm, Sky Sports 1).
There will also be a special edition of Behind The Ropes (Wednesday, 7.00pm, Sky Sports 1) which follows Amir Khan’s perparations ahead his clash with Carlos Molina.
The half-hour documentary features exclusive behind the scenes access within Khan’s camp as he links up new trainer Virgil Hunter.
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Following the cancellation of Ricky Burns’ world title defence against Jose Ocampo in the week building up to the fight, English super-middleweight George Groves steps up to become headline act on BoxNaton’s bumper pre-Christmas bill at ExCeL.
The show will still go ahead with five titles on the card and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves’ title defence against Glen Johnson now tops the night.
Plus there is Billy Joe Saunders in a Commonwealth and vacant British middleweight title showdown against Nick Blackwell, and an exciting clash between Steve O’Meara and Liam Smith for the vacant Commonwealth light-middleweight title.
Unbeaten so far in his professional career after 15 fights, Groves insists that he must ‘make a statement’ when he defends his Commonwealth title against former world champion Glen Johnson on Saturday night.
Johnson is a 43-year-old veteran of 70 fights, but he has the distinction of facing multiple world champions during his long fight career.
The Jamaican lost on points to Carl Froch in Atlantic City last year and he has also fought the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver, Chad Dawson and Clinton Woods, all of whom have been world champions.
All eyes will be on Groves as to whether he can make a significant impression against the Jamaican stalwart, as the Englishman aims for a shot at IBF title holder Carl Froch within two years.
Through injury and misfortune, Groves has missed out some good opportunities in 2012, including a hotly anticipated rematch with Kenny Anderson and a world title shot at Robert Stieglitz.
In July, the 24-year-old Londoner defeated Mexican Francisco Sierra in San Jose with a six-round TKO, shaking off a disappointing beginning to the year and starting the rebuilding process.
And now he faces an entirely different kind of challenge in the form of the experienced Johnson.
Johnson has a 51-17-2 record, and isn’t known by his fighting name of ‘The Road Warrior’ for nothing.
He has knocked out 15 of his opponents, and presents an interesting challenge to the progress of the young English fighter.
Groves/Johnson will now be the main attraction after the cancellation of Ricky Burns’ defence of his WBO world lightweight title against Filipino lightweight Jose Ocampo.
This follows the death of the challenger’s trainer in the build-up to the fight led to his immediate withdrawal from the card.
Ocampo was orginially brought in after Burns’ initial opponent Liam Walsh was forced to withdraw from the fight following a car accident.
A new opponent was sought at the last minute but none could be found.
It has been a frustrating time for everyone involved, particularly Burns who has trained hard for the last six weeks and was looking to close 2012 on a high after a sensational win against Kevin Mitchell last time out.
Underpinning Groves’ bout is a seriously stacked undercard that also includes Billy Joe Saunders and Tony Conquest.
Also in action will be one of Britain’s most promising young fighters – Billy Joe Saunders – who has been tipped as a future world champion by promoter Frank Warren.
The 23-year-old southpaw, who is fresh from a powerhouse second round win over previously unbeaten Jarrod Fletcher, will once again defend his Commonwealth Middleweight title.
He is an effortless fighter, born to box on the biggest stage, and a sold out ExCel Arena is the perfect venue for a man who has already won at both York Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.
The fourth and final big fight of the night sees the up and coming Tony Conquest defends his WBO International Crusierweight title against tricky challenger Neil Dawson.
After taking a thrilling and determined seventh round retirement win over Ian Tims on a BoxAcademy bill in September, Conquest is looking to defend the WBO International belt he won that night.
He faces Neil Dawson, a very difficult challenger from Rotherham who has a 10 – 1 record and, at 6ft 4in, is a tall and tricky customer at cruiserweight.
Conquest, himself, has 10 wins but, crucially, no defeats. This is a record he will be keen to extend on an action-packed bill that features some of Britain’s finest.
Jim Rosenthal presents BoxNation’s live coverage, with analysis from regulars Steve Bunce and Steve Lillis.
Commentary comes from John Rawling and Paul Smith, while Ronald McIntosh will conduct the pre and post-fight interviews.
Two further live bills featuring world title fights follow on BoxNation from 11.30pm.
After winning the WBO title from Robert Stieglitz August, ‘King’ Arthur Abraham returns for a first defence against Frenchman Mehdi Bouadla in Nuremburg, Germany – live from 11.30pm.
Also former WBC youth cruiserweight champion Mateusz Masternak takes his unbeaten record up against Finnish fighter Juho Haapoja as the main undercard fight to Abraham v Bouadla.
Then from 2.00am, the ‘Filipino Flash’ Nonito Donaire defends his WBO World Super-Bantamweight title against America’s Jorge Acre, himself a former world champion, at the Toyota Cente in Houston, Texas.
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I WANT TO WATCH THE AMIR KHAN MATCH AS I MISSED IT.
DO YOU HAVE IPLAYER FACILITY.