Former ONE World Title challenger Amir Khan has had some time to reflect on his career over the past few months, during the Covid-19 situation which he spent in Singapore’s ‘Circuit Breaker.’
After going a mere 1-4 in his most recent outings, the 25-year-old ONE Championship veteran is looking to re-establish his status as one of the promotion’s best lightweights, and believes he will look like a completely different fighter the next time he steps inside the ONE Circle.
Khan is set to face India’s Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju in a three round lightweight contest at ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES, scheduled for Friday, 9 October, live from Singapore.
Similar to what the NBA has done in Orlando, FL for the 2020 NBA Playoffs, ONE Championship has put together a stringent set of protocols to ensure the health and safety of its athletes and staff in it’s own ‘Singapore bubble.’
Khan plans to use this chance to reignite his once promising career. If he can get past Raju, and perhaps put forth a statement-making performance, Khan believes there is no reason he won’t be able to reinsert himself among the division’s elite.
“Rahul Raju’s strength is his heart and determination. He is a worthy opponent. I don’t want to underestimate him, so i don’t really look at his weaknesses. My only focus is in showing him my strengths and I know he won’t be able to handle it,” said Khan.
Khan was once considered one of the best lightweight mixed martial artists in the world. He’s dealt losses to some of the toughest opponents in his division, including Vaughn Donayre, Adrian Pang, Sung Jong Lee, Honorio Banario, and Ev Ting.
Alongside Evolve teammate and reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, Khan is a bonafide knockout artist and holds the record for most knockout finishes in the promotion with eight overall.
But recent losses to top contenders Eduard Folayang, Ariel Sexton, and Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev, as well as a submission loss to Japan’s Kimihiro Eto earlier this year have derailed Khan’s ascent and sent him on a soul-searching mission.
Khan is happy to tell fans that he’s finally ready to start his journey back to the top.
“This fight means the start of a new beginning for me. After a long time, I feel like I’ve rediscovered myself and now I’m mentally primed to compete. I’m looking forward to showcasing that in my performance,” said Khan.
“I’m most focused on the process for this fight, and not really concerned about the outcome. I’m just focusing on doing what I have to do. I’ve been reborn into a different fighter. I haven’t had a finish in a while now, but watch out for this fight. I believe I’ll come back a new and improved Amir Khan.”
ONE Championship returns for its next big blockbuster with ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES, scheduled for Friday, 9 October, and once again, the world’s greatest martial artists are ready to take the stage and showcase their incredible skills in the ONE Circle.
In the main event, reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will defend his Muay Thai title against top contender Josh “Timebomb” Tonna of Australia.
For Khan, his next bout is an opportunity to show just how much he’s grown physically and mentally over the past few months.
“Every bout is a must-win for me. It’s not like I didn’t have that mentality before. It’s the journey and my passion that keeps me going. There are so many life lessons to be learned in my career. I’ve made many mistakes, but now it’s time to show how much I’ve learned and overcome those challenges,” he said.