Canelo (left) and Amir Khan
Amir Khan (right) admits he will struggle to hurt Canelo Getty Images

Amir Khan admits he lacks the power to hurt Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. The 29-year-old Briton is jumping two divisions to face the WBC middleweight champion at the newly built T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday (7 May) and Khan insists that brain, not brawn, will be the key to his fight plan.

Khan concedes that the highly fancied Alvarez is unlikely to be badly hurt by any of his punches, given the natural size disparity between the two fighters. But the former Olympian is hoping to use his speed and elusiveness to box his way to victory.

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"I'm going to hit Canelo and he's probably not going to feel it, but skill is going to win it," said Khan. "I don't want to be involved in exchanges, standing in front of him giving him free shots. I know he can hurt me with one big shot.

"So I have to make sure I'm balanced when I'm throwing my own shots. It's all about being disciplined and sticking to the game-plan for 12 rounds. Before, I've not respected guys who have knocked me down or out. This fight I know I can be hurt so I'll be on the edge and my defences will be sharper."

Meanwhile, Khan claimed fights against Manny Pacquiao and undefeated American Floyd Mayweather would both have been simpler tasks for him than facing Alvarez. He admitted the Mexican poses a greater threat because of his punching power and size.

"A fight against Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao would have been easier because they're my weight, so physically I would have been stronger," Khan explained. "Canelo is going to be stronger, but things I have that are better than him are speed and movement."