Tuesday 11 August 2015 07:37, UK
Amir Khan could meet Manny Pacquiao next year in the Middle East, according to the Filipino great's promoter Bob Arum.
Arum is due to open talks with Khan's camp in London this weekend, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph, after the Briton was denied the chance to take on Floyd Mayweather later this year.
Khan was disappointed at Mayweather's decision to face Andre Berto in what could be his final fight on September 12, and Arum has branded that bout "a farce".
Pacquiao has been out of the ring since losing to Mayweather in early May, after having surgery on a shoulder injury he blamed for his points defeat in Las Vegas.
"This kid Amir Khan keeps shooting his mouth off about Manny Pacquiao. I can arrange for Khan to fight Pacquiao," Arum told the newspaper.
"Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I'm not a hard guy to deal with. I'm not going to mess them around."
Arum is certain Khan should have been Mayweather's next opponent when the unbeaten superstar bids for his 49th successive victory in September, aiming to equal the legendary Rocky Marciano's mark.
"That's a farce. Mayweather should have fought Khan next. It would have been an interesting fight," he added.
"One thing's for sure, Pacquiao is not ducking Khan. Pacquiao will fight him. I don't know if Khan will fight Pacquiao, but it's available."
But any possible Khan-Pacquiao fight will not take place this year, with Arum's client taking the rest of 2015 off to ensure a full recovery from surgery.
"Manny's not going to fight this year," he said. "He'll fight early next year and probably in the Middle East.
"Vegas is a possibility, but more likely in the Middle East. It won't be in Dubai but it will be in the Middle East. If not, we'll do it in Vegas.
"There's two different groups in the Middle East (wanting to host the fight). I'd like to do Pacquiao against Amir Khan but they'll take Manny against any decent guy."
