Khan sets off on road to redemption

Former two-time world champion Amir Khan knows he must get back to winning ways on Saturday if he is to earn a shot at redemption against Danny Garcia.

Garcia stopped Khan in four rounds in the summer to win their light-welterweight unification clash and condemn the Englishman to his second loss in a row following his controversial defeat by Lamont Peterson.

While Khan was lackadaisical against Peterson – who was subsequently found to be using a banned substance – he was simply blitzed by Garcia in Las Vegas, leading comfortably before being caught by a sweet shot and taken apart.

The Garcia fight seriously derailed Khan’s aspirations towards mega fights and superstardom and he knows victory against unbeaten but unspectacular Californian Carlos Molina this weekend is just the start of that rebuilding process.

The 26-year-old former WBA champion takes on Molina at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena knowing he cannot afford any slip-ups against the rank underdog.

“I need to win this fight to get back on the scene again,” he told Press Association Sport.

“It can put me back on a winning streak and maybe a rematch against Garcia. Hopefully we can get that rematch and take it from there.

“I’d love the rematch against Garcia because I know deep down I’m a better fighter than him. I made a mistake in that fight and I paid for that mistake.

“But I know I can beat him. I know I’m a better fighter, especially with the help of my new trainer Virgil Hunter and being based in San Francisco.

“I’m a better fighter and I’ll knock Danny Garcia out.

“We want the rematch but I don’t think Garcia will.”

While Bolton native Khan previously trained alongside Manny Pacquiao and a host of other stars at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles, things are more sedate within Hunter’s set-up.

However, he is still in good company, with the likes of Alfredo Angulo and current super-middleweight king Andre Ward in the same gym.

“Having the likes of Andre Ward to train alongside is great too,” Khan added.

“He’s one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and it inspires me to do well because I want to be in the same position as him one day.

“He holds world titles and can call himself a world champion and I want that again too. He’s certainly an inspiration in a camp like this.”