By Scott Gilfoid: ESPN’s Brian Campbell believes there’s a possibility that former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) could choose to stay out of action until next year in May to wait on a lottery ticket fight against WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr (47-0, 26 KOs).
Campbell thinks there’s a possibility that Khan will elect not to fight in December in order not to take any chances of him missing out on that Mayweather fight. If Khan does fight in December, the name that is being mentioned is non-top 15 ranked fighter Josesito Lopez, who hasn’t looked impressive since his win over Victor Ortiz in 2012.
“A name that is floating out there is Josesito Lopez,” Campbell said to ESPN.com. “I think it could be just as likely that Amir Khan doesn’t fight anyone as he potentially holds out for the Floyd Mayweather fight next spring. But who I think he should fight. He should fight a credible ranked welterweight. I don’t like for 2 years in a row watching him wait around hoping to catch that lottery ticket. Give him a Robert Guerrero, give him a Devon Alexander, and give him someone who’s ranked, who’s good and ready. He’s got to prove himself at welterweight. He has a very think resume there.”
Khan fought only once in 2013 due to him sitting and holding out waiting on a Mayweather fight that never came. Khan didn’t want to risk him getting injured in a fight against Alexander last year in December, so Khan instead sat out hoping he’d get selected by Mayweather for his May fight in 2014. As it turns out, Mayweather opted to face Marcos Maidana after a number of independent polls had Maidana beating Khan handily.
Mayweather had initially set up a poll on his Mayweather Promotions website, asking boxing fans to vote between Khan and Maidana. Khan was badly losing that poll until he asked his million plus Twitter followers to give him some help. With Khan choosing not to fight last December, he only fought once in 2013. Now if he does again in 2014, then he’ll have only fought once this year as well. Khan’s only fight in 2014 was against an old name from the past in Luis Collazo.
Collazo was technically a high ranked contender, but you can make an argument that Collazo didn’t deserve to be ranked in the top 15, given his lack of high level wins or important fights during the last 7 years of his career. Collazo had fought only one recognized name during the last 7 years of his career and that was against a rusty Victor Ortiz, who was coming off of a year and a half layoff.
Khan hasn’t beaten a credible opponent since his win over a past his best Zab Judah in 2011. Khan’s last win over someone that was good and still in his prime was his win over Maidana in 2010. Khan could have easily lost that fight if not for the referee breaking the action frequently in the last 3 rounds of the fight after Khan had been badly hurt by a right hand by Maidana.
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