Khan he overcome Barrera?

Amir Khan insists he will be at his very best when he takes on Marco Antonio Barrera at the MEN Arena this Saturday night.

Khan dwarfed the Mexican at Thursday’s head-to-head press conference and although the experts are split on the outcome of Saturday’s fight, the 22-year-old is in no doubt.

“I am the fittest I’ve ever been,” said the Bolton boxer. “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in – even better than the Olympic Games. “I’m more confident in this fight than any fight I’ve been in. I know I’ve done the hard work in the gym – that’s why I’m so confident.”

His Trainer Freddie Roach believes Khan can become the first man since Manny Pacquiao in 2003 to stop Barrera. However he warns he cannot afford to make a single mistake, while promoter Frank Warren admits to be ‘worried’ about the outcome.

Yet Warren is also backing his man and believes victory will set up the world-title shot Khan has craved since winning a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics.

The promoter is still pushing for Saturday’s fight to be made an eliminator for the WBO lightweight title, currently held by Barrera’s Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez.

“I’m still pressing ahead with that and it should be, I hope they will recognise it as that because it deserves to be,” he said.

“Barrera is number one with them anyway and Amir is the next available contender, so it should be. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

“We’ll see what happens and how Amir looks in the fight. If he does what I hope he can do and what I believe he can do, then this is going to be a big, big occasion and put him in a position which hopefully opens a lot of doors for us to decide what the next move is.”