AMIR KHAN has warned Errol Spence Jr that he is stepping into the ring with a stone-cold killer on Saturday.
Terence Crawford battered the Bolton hero into submission when they clashed over six 2019 rounds.
But Nebraska’s 35-year-old WBO welterweight champ welcomed Our Amir into his training team for his 2022 retirement loss to Kell Brook and treated him and his wife like family.
Now the two Americans are set to clash to decide an undisputed welterweight king – also perhaps the finest fighter on the planet.
And Khan is telling the 33-year-old Dallas cowboy to watch out for an ice-cool assassin with a warm heart buried deep away from the ring.
The 36-year-old Brit explained: “When we trained together in Omaha his personality was chilled and calm, he talked to everyone and had no entourage. He’s a peoples’ champion and a lovely man.
“After we fought and I went to train with him, he took me and my wife out for dinner and with all the coaches, a get-to-know-each-other meal.
“He checked on the food we wanted, made sure it was halal and paid the bill, he is very caring.
“But, when I first met him in London, before we fought, he was stony-faced, a stone-cold killer.
“He just came for a war, that is the type of guy he is.
“There was no smiling, he just stood there and stared at me, watched and studied everything I did. He is very intimidating.”
Our 2004 Olympic silver winner and former super-lightweight world champion underwhelmed in the New York clash with Crawford that sparked the money-spinning end of his career.
In truth, the damage was done three years earlier when he chose to fight Mexican monster Canelo Alvarez at middleweight and suffered a sickening knockout that fans feared had done irreparable damage.
Looking back, the freakishly fast, brave and endearingly naive veteran is just proud of his record that will stand the test of time.
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He recalled: “Six rounds with Crawford went by and he was beating me to the punch and making me miss. He was the first person who showed me my timing was going.
“The fight against him convinced me to only take big fights next, because I had to cash-out and make sure I never had to work again and my family would be secured.
“Compared to Canelo, I was sharper and at my peak then, Canelo was much easier to hit, Crawford always made me miss.
“Canelo stood and took my shots but he was too huge and strong when I got in the ring with him that night.
“I wanted to fight the best out there and it was amazing to face Crawford.
“I had to hold my hands up and say that the better man beat me.
“I trained so hard for that fight but he is one of the best, I will never be happy that I lost but I will always be proud that I faced him.”
TNT Sports Box Office shows Errol Spence v Terence Crawford on Saturday. Learn more at https://www.tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice
