Boxing: YOU KHAN DO IT; Victory could earn Amir shot at world title.

PROMOTER Frank Warren has dangled the possibility of a shot at a world title in front of Amir Khan - if the Briton can beat Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in their clash at the MEN Arena in March.

Warren is keen to get the Bolton battler's stuttering career back on track after his once smooth progress was halted by a bruising defeat last year.

The match-maker wants to fast-track Khan back towards the big-time and erase any lingering memories of his stunning first round knockout defeat to Colombian Breidis Prescott at the same venue in Manchester in September.

But he knows that Khan must win in style against the Mexican to make it happen.

Khan is taking a big gamble by taking on the 35-year-old Barrera on March 14. The experienced veteran scrapper has scored two straight wins since coming out of an 11-month retirement and is himself hungry to claim a crack at a world crown in a fourth weight division.

But Warren said: "Amir is taking a big step up to fight a legend.

"But if Amir wins, he gets himself into a situation where hopefully he fights for a world title in his next fight.

"This is what Amir's about. He's had hiccups but he's come through them and this is the essence of Amir - 'give me a challenge'.

"I've no doubts whatsoever that it is a fight he can win. It will be a tremendous event for boxing in Britain."

Barrera is now aligned with Don King who promotes two reigning world lightweight champions in IBF and WBO king Nate Campbell - due to fight in Florida on Valentine's Day - and Namibia's WBA champion Paulus Moses.

Given the thawing of relations in recent years between King and Warren it can be assumed Khan would move into pole position for a crack at either of them - but he is wisely concentrating on the job in hand.

Khan said: "It's the fight I need and I'm ready for it. I'm confident I've become a much better fighter.

"I've tasted defeat and I'm not scared of anything now. I made mistakes I'll never make again.

"I've learned a lot training with Freddie Roach in Los Angeles and I'm sure Freddie's the man who can take me all the way to becoming a great world champion. I'm loving training with him."

Barrera insists he too is up for the fight despite almost scuppering the deal when he suffered a bad cut in a four-round disqualification win over no-hoper Freudis Rojas in Mexico last weekend.

He said: "Khan shouldn't be worrying about my cut - he should be worrying about me. I'm going to be 100% so he'd better be ready. He's a good fighter but his chin is questionable.

"I want to make it clear I am still a contender. This fight will get me into the bigger fights.

"I just have to show up and win this fight and then I will get me back to those bigger fights again."

CAPTION(S):

POTENTIAL WORLD TITLE CHANCE: Amir Khan lands a punch on Hungary's Laszlo Komjathi. Victory over Marco Antonio Barrera next month would get his career back on track