Amir Khan v Carlos Molina: Briton can't afford to lose and should believe he won't Molina is ranked at No 76 light-welterweight in the world and is not renowned as a concussive puncher. Khan has speed, size, power and indeed, much greater experience than Molina, who is stepping up a division. But boxing is riddled with these kinds of matches at moment. Floyd Mayweather Jr's business manager Al Haymon has been choreographing this kind of smokescreen for Mayweather Jr for several years - and it shows in that he never stepped up to face Manny Pacquiao, and, with the Filipino knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez last weekend, it's now too late. The "Fight of the Decade" should have taken place two years ago. Mayweather also fought Marquez as the heavier man by over a stone in weight; and fought Miguel Cotto five years after the Puerto Rican was at his peak. It is for this reason that big names with undefeated records are suddenly getting knocked out by unheralded fighters - as they have been protected. Hunter, Khan's new trainer, revealed an interesting side story to Khan this week. He sat down with the British fighter, and they totted up the time he had had off since he turned professional, seven and a half years ago: it amounted to three and a half years. It has definitely been a more subdued, less overconfident Khan who has talked about his plans for this contest, and beyond. What Khan has clearly not learnt to do since leaving the Wild Card Gym is be a diplomat. Khan enraged the wrath of Freddie Roach, who bit back yesterday after Khan told reporters that his new trainer Hunter had significantly improved his defensive skills, but at the same time, inferred that Roach's skills in the gym were being eroded by his Parkinson's disease. "We'll see how good his defence has become in this fight," was Roach's response, but he was also vexed at Khan's comments about his Parkinson's affliction, and revealed that the management team for the Bolton fighter had requested that he drop Manny Pacquiao and concentrate on Khan, before splitting with the Hall of Fame, Hollywood trainer. "Is it my fault that he stays in the pocket too much?" was Roach's retort. He better not take Molina lightly. It's a tough fight. Roach's take on this contest is that if Khan loses, he might as well pack his bags and head home. "Eric Gomez and Robert Diaz at Golden Boy Promotions have picked a perfect opponent for Amir to come back against," is the view of Dean Powell, Frank Warren's matchmaker who trained Khan for one contest in Virgil will have brought him back to basics and probably will have changed some simple little things. Amir knows that he can't be drawn in. It can't be a case of a red rag to a bull," explained Powell. Any unbeaten fighter, like Molina, will be always be game, but it is hard to see beyond Khan winning by wide points decision or, more likely, a stoppage around the seventh or eighth round.