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Boxing: Carey's discipline can test Khan

Mark Staniforth
Friday 12 August 2005 00:00 BST
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Baz Carey, a 34-year-old from Coventry, will provide Amir Khan with his second professional test at the Cardiff International Arena on 10 September. The experienced Carey has been named as the next challenger to Khan, who blew away his first professional opponent David Bailey in 1 min 49sec in Bolton last month.

Carey has won nine of his 25 professional fights with three draws, but has only been stopped inside the distance twice.

Matching Khan is fraught with inevitable difficulties given the hype which swirls around the inexperienced 18-year-old. His promoter, Frank Warren, needs to find opponents who will extend Khan's learning curve and satisfy the ITV viewing audience, without throwing his star prospect in over his head.

Carey appears a fair test at this stage and insists he is far from a journeyman opponent eager to seize a single night in the spotlight.

"The fact that Amir has taken this fight proves he is not going down the Audley Harrison route and fighting knock-overs," Carey said. "I'm experienced and I know about the game and I will not be rushing at him with my hands down like his first opponent did."

Carey, a full-time engineer, is devoted to his sport, rising at 4.30am every morning for roadwork and returning to the gym for an evening fitness session. His discipline has already been rewarded by bouts on undercards of shows involving Ricky Hatton and Scott Harrison.

Khan's fight with Carey will be on the undercard of Joe Calzaghe's World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight title defence against an opponent yet to be named.

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