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Thursday, 9 June 2011

Amir Khan's Fight Against Zab Judah Refused By Sky TV

Amir Khan tonight revealed his rift with Sky TV continues after the broadcaster rejected the opportunity to screen his unification bout with Zab Judah.

Khan will defend his WBA light-welterweight title against Judah, the IBF champion, at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Center on July 23.

Primetime have secured the UK rights to the contest in their second partnership with Khan after screening his victory over Paul McCloskey in April.

Sky downgraded the McCloskey fight from Box Office to Sky Sports 3 following a poor response to pay-per-view sales, prompting Khan's team to switch allegiance to the far smaller Primetime.


It was originally hoped WBC and WBO champion Tim Bradley would be Khan's next opponent but Sky also declined that contest, leaving the 24-year-old from Bolton puzzled.

"We talked to Sky and they didn't want the Bradley or Judah fights. We were willing to bring Bradley to the UK too," said Khan.

"Sky is the biggest broadcaster in the UK and we have to go with the flow, if they're not interested there's nothing we can do about that.

"We don't have answers as to why they're not interested. I'll just have to win fights and prove them wrong.

"Hopefully they'll come knocking on my door. I've got some big fights coming up - I want to be pound-for-pound the best in the world.

"I don't know if it's me or if they don't enjoy my boxing. I think I have the most exciting skills in the country."

The alienation between broadcaster and fighter threatens to deny one of Britain's biggest sports stars mainstream exposure.

While Primetime pulled in a very respectable 70,000 buys for McCloskey - and team Khan believe that with aggressive marketing that figure will be considerably higher for Judah - they are still largely unknown.

Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer issued a veiled threat to Sky that their stand-off with Khan would have repercussions on the use of his stable of fighters

"I'll be meeting with Primetime and Sky when I'm in the UK next," said Schaefer.

"I'll discuss with them and others the overall structure of working with Golden Boy.

"We are one family, Amir and Golden Boy. If anyone turns their back on Amir, they turn their back on Golden Boy. We want a long-term relationship."

Judah - who has lost to Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto - is a dangerous opponent but at 33 he is a fading force, hence Khan's preference for meeting Bradley.

The 27-year-old Bradley, however, declined the opportunity, as did Erik Morales, before Khan eventually secured Judah.

"Bradley was offered the best deal any opponent of mine could be getting," he said.

"I offered him 50% of the UK revenue, which is unheard of, but that's how much I wanted the unification fight.

"He turned that down so we turned the page over and took on Zab Judah for a 45-55 split, even though I think Zab was worth 60-40.

"I would have preferred Bradley to take the number one spot and to win his two titles. Maybe that fight could happen in the future, but the same deal will not be on the table.

"He chickened out because he knew he was going to get beaten and if he got beaten by me, his career would be finished.

"He doesn't draw big crowds, so his two titles are his saviour. If I win them off him, he'll be back on the small shows.

"Even his world title fights are small shows. He's scared of getting beaten."





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