Amir Khan is looking to make an explosive statement on September 8, when he returns to the ring to face Samuel Vargas, or at least as much of a statement as one can make in a tune-up fight like this one.

Khan (32-4, 20 KO) is promising another big showing, but says that doesn’t mean he’s looking past Vargas (29-3-2, 14 KO):

“I didn’t get a chance to show everyone what I had been working on during my time out against Lo Greco, but you saw the punch power, accuracy, speed and timing, and you’ll see it again against Vargas. I always make it exciting. It’s going to be another big bang. ... I need to win and also look good doing so. There’s big fights in the pipeline, but I can’t afford to look that far ahead; Vargas has my full attention.”

Khan thrashed Phil Lo Greco in just 39 seconds back on April 21, in what was Khan’s first fight in just under two years. He probably won’t quite do that to Vargas, but it may not be far off.

Vargas’ biggest fight came in November 2016, when he was matched with Danny Garcia, who dropped Vargas in the first round and finished him in the seventh. Khan can probably be expected to come out hot and look for another fast finish here; not recklessly, but he has huge speed and skill advantages against Vargas, who is a decent fighter but at best a fringe contender journeyman. Vargas was also stopped in four by Errol Spence Jr back in 2015, and his other loss was a decision to Pablo Munguia in 2013.

If Khan does win as we expect, yes, absolutely, there will be big fights out there. He could go to 154 or a catchweight to finally face Kell Brook. He could go to 147 to face Manny Pacquiao. He’s an attractive matchup for a lot of guys because he has name value and he’s very flawed, as good as he can be at his best.