Khan: I want to move up to 147 and face the big names – Ortiz, Mayweather, Pacquiao

By Boxing News - 05/24/2012 - Comments

Image: Khan: I want to move up to 147 and face the big names – Ortiz, Mayweather, PacquiaoBy William Mackay: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan is already looking past his July 14th fight against Danny Garcia towards moving up in weight to the welterweight division to go after the big names in the division.

Khan told Sky Sports News “My plan is to move up to 147 and face one of the big names up there. You’ve got Victor Ortiz, you’ve got Manny [Pacquiao] and [Floyd] Mayweather. There are super names there so I’ll be that mix and we’ll sit down with Freddie Roach, and see what route we’re going to take with the big names.”

Roach will obviously tell Khan to shoot for the Mayweather fight. The problem is Mayweather might not be too interested in facing Khan if he feels like he’s going to have to deal with a runner that fouls. He’s 35, and the last thing he wants is to have to chase a guy around the ring that hits with pitty pat shots and immediately runs.

Mayweather also won’t want to have to deal with all Khan’s shoving, headlocks and pulling down on his head when he gets close.

Khan’s fight against Garcia in July is a big opportunity for Khan to make himself look more exciting to Mayweather by standing and fighting Garcia in the way that the American public like fighters to do. Mayweather likely won’t be interested in facing Khan if he fights the way he did against Marcos Maidana and Lamont Peterson by running for 10 rounds, and then shoving and pulling down on his head for the last three rounds when Khan’s legs are no longer working for him.

Khan is still hoping that the IBF and WBA will strip Peterson of his titles for him testing positive for synthetic testosterone. Khan wants the titles to be given back to him outside of the ring so that he can have them in his possession for his last fight against Garcia. Its unclear why Khan wants this when it’ll be more of a token thing without a lot of meaning given that he lost to Peterson. It doesn’t seem worth it if all Khan is going to do is immediately move up in weight after the Garcia fight and abandon the titles. Why bother?



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