Khan warns Molina will be no walkover

Amir Khan has rejected suggestions Carlos Molina is a rank underdog ahead of their light-welterweight clash in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Molina is a huge underdog for the fight and only has seven stoppages among his 17 wins. But Khan is wary of underestimating him, especially after his old friend Manny Pacquiao was rendered unconscious by Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday.

"He's seen as the massive underdog but I never treat anyone as an underdog going into a fight," Khan told Press Association Sport.

Khan (26-3, 18KOs) added: "Molina is a tough guy, he comes forward, he's confident because he's never tasted defeat before.

"People can say all sorts, such as he's never fought anyone as good as me, but he's had a lot fewer fights like me and he's stepping up to world class so he's going to be training twice as hard and putting himself through the pain barrier.

"Having brothers who have been champions and won world titles is only going to give him that extra push. We know he's dangerous, we know he's going to come at us.

"Having the fight in LA, his backyard, always motivates a fighter that little bit more too. It's only going to lift him. Look what it did to Lamont Peterson when I fought him in Washington last year. I'm sure it will motivate Molina the same way.

"I think by coming to his town to fight him shows what sort of character I am, too, by fighting someone again in their backyard. But that's the way I like it.

"We know he's going to be ready and that's what makes this fight more exciting, the fact he's undefeated and I'm coming off a loss. People want to see if Amir Khan's still got it in him.

"It's not a no-win fight for me - it's a big-win fight for me. Because if I get through this one then the confidence comes back. The fight is a chance to put all that work that I've been doing in the gym with Virgil into practice in an actual fight. Yes, you can say I've been able to do it in sparring, but it's not the same as actually fighting."