The Briton, who reigned at unified king at the 140 limit from 2011 to 2012, makes a titanic leap up in poundage and class this spring and has now admitted his time campaigning as a welterweight may be over.
“I’ve been in training camp for the past six weeks doing strength and conditioning,” said Khan.
“I felt really strong, too big for my weight class, and I’ve been killing myself trying to come down in weight. Maybe it turns out that Amir Khan is meant to be a middleweight.
“This is a great opportunity for the world title up against a great fighter. I am ready, and I believe in myself.
“When I got the call from Oscar asking, ‘how do you feel about fighting Canelo?’ I said, ‘with my skills, speed and power, I really believe you guys will see something different in this fight.”
At 29, Khan has finally landed the career-defining fight he’s craved after failing in bids to share the ring with either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquaio but starts out as a 5/2 against underdog to succeed.
Only Mayweather himself has been able to put a dent in Canelo’s magnificent 48-fight record and Khan would have to pull off one of the shocks of his generation in order to become champion at 160 pounds.
