Amir Khan still hoping to secure blockbuster fight against Floyd Mayweather
Friday 23 January 2015 14:48, UK
Amir Khan is still holding out hope of landing a blockbuster fight against Floyd Mayweather in May but says he would take on Manny Pacquiao if that falls through.
WBC and WBA welterweight champion Mayweather is currently deliberating on who his next opponent will be after recording a unanimous decision win over Marcos Maidana in his last bout in September.
WBO welterweight champion Pacquiao has gone on record saying he has agreed to the terms for a hotly-anticipated bout at Las Vegas' MGM Grand on May 2 and has given Mayweather until the end of the month to sign a deal.
However Khan, who has long campaigned for a fight with pound-for-pound king Mayweather, remains hopeful he will get the slot and has been told to remain patient by his manager Al Haymon, who coincidentally also advises Mayweather.
“At the moment, I spoke to my manager Al Haymon and he said ‘keep cool, it is a waiting game’,” Khan told Sky Sports News HQ.
“Floyd, we all know, likes to announce fights really late but he is going to be still in training so I am still in training myself.
“I am not going to let it get to me in any way. I am going to still stay focused but I want that fight.
“That is the fight I want and I really think it is very close but let’s see if Mayweather wants it too. We know how Mayweather works. He is a smart guy.
“He is going to make you wait and wait and before you know it, it will be seven weeks before the fight and he is already in training and you have not even started.”
Pacquiao
If the fight with Mayweather does not materialise, Khan instead hopes to face Pacquiao, with whom he has an extensive history.
The pair sparred with each other often in LA’s famed Wild Card gym when Khan worked under Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach.
Despite their history together, Khan – who admits he likes Pacquiao – is eager to fight the Filipino superstar, even though he believes he would pose a tougher challenge than Mayweather.
“If Floyd doesn’t take the fight against myself or Pacquiao, why don’t we fight each other?” Khan asked. “I think that would be massive.
“I want the biggest fights in boxing and the biggest names in boxing are Mayweather and Pacquiao. Styles make fights and Pacquiao is a totally different fight to Mayweather.
“Mayweather is more of a technician and throws a lot of single punches whereas Pacquiao throws combination after combination. He has a lot of movement, great footwork and is very explosive.
“I think Pacquiao would probably cause me more problems than Mayweather but it would a very explosive fight and a good one to be in.
“We have also sparred with each other when we trained with Freddie Roach so we have that background together and we would take that into the fight as well.”
Brook
There has been much speculation regarding a potential British superfight between Khan and Sheffield’s Kell Brook but the Bolton fighter said that, while he is open to the fight taking place down the line, he is currently focusing on other options.
“The fight can happen and it will be a massive fight in the UK. At the moment we are looking at other names – the likes of Floyd Mayweather.
“My name is getting mentioned with the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao, whereas Brook is calling me out, but I want to fight the biggest names in boxing which are those two.
“So let’s see where we go. The fight can happen one day but not yet.”
