By B.G.B: After a career best performance beating Devon Alexander last weekend, Amir Khan now has his sights set on Floyd Mayweather Jr. It is no surprise that Khan has expressed his desire to fight Floyd and has demanded the fight for some time now.
Khan is banking on a showdown with Floyd in 2015 on Mayweather’s next fight date May 2nd. However, there is now a very real possibility that Floyd may face long time rival Manny Pacquiao on that date if (a BIG if) an agreement between the two parties can be made.
There is no doubt that a Floyd v Manny fight remains the biggest fight in the sport and Khan or any other fighter that wishes to face either of the two cannot deny.
So if the two greatest fighters of a generation were to finally fight what happens to Khan? He has already stated he does not wish to fight IBF champion and fellow countryman Kell Brook and is aiming at Floyd or Manny. Does this mean we can expect Brook v Khan if Floyd and Manny do fight? Or will he ignore Brook regardless? Why not fight Kell Brook? If not Manny, Floyd or Kell next for Khan then who is next? Will he fight a real player at 147 or will he sit on the sidelines? By ruling out Brook and relying on Floyd and Manny, Khan is taking risks that could have huge implications for his career. So rather than crossing his fingers and jumping into bed with Haymon Khan should continue his career as normal. He is not a welter weight world champion and never has been at 147 so why on earth is he ruling out Brook? And finally, if Khan is ignoring Brook then who else will he ignore at 147 next year? Let’s assess the players at 147:
Keith Thurman:
Thurman defeated Bundu on the undercard of Khan V Alexander last weekend in a less than thrilling match-up. The fight was not exciting partly due to the fact that Bundu is a greatly underrated fighter and has underachieved with his career. He is a classy boxer and demonstrates good skills and technique and made it difficult for Thurman. Yes, Thurman usually excites and knocks opponents out but that simply is not going to happen in every fight. The response of the crowd after the fight was uneducated and insulting to the sport of boxing. Boxers fight to win, knockouts are a bonus.
Thurman is another fighter at 147 that claims he has the answers to hand Mayweather his first defeat but realistically his chances of ever fighting Floyd are very slim. He is not a PPV guarantee and has never topped a major card. However there are those that truly believe that Thurman is the future to the welter weight division and is avoided by the top contenders and champions. Taking this into account it is very unlikely that Khan and Thurman will collide in 2015 or any other year for that matter. However, a Khan V Thurman fight would be an exciting fight for the fans and a difficult one to predict. Will Khan face Thurman, an undefeated opponent with speed, power and a limited fan base? Absolutely not.
Timothy Bradley:
This is a fight that should have happened a few years back when both were ruling the light welter division alongside Alexander. However, as is becoming more frequent, for some reason the fight never happened. If it was not for the horrible robbery Bradley was on the wrong end of Saturday night, Bradley would have been a good option for Khan. He lacks power, Khans kryptonite, but possesses fast hands, fantastic conditioning and a remarkable chin. Bradley is indeed world class and has been throughout his career. He has faced tremendous opposition arguable better than Khan has. Marquez, Pacquiao (twice), Provodnikov as well as handing Alexander his first loss and beating Peterson, something which Khan failed to do.
A Bradley match-up with Khan is a viable option and a fight that Khan has a good chance of winning due to Bradley’s lack of power. If Brook, Manny and Floyd aren’t happening in May, Bradley would have had a good chance at landing a fight with Khan if not for his questionable draw on Saturday night.
Marcos Maidana:
Now this is a fight that simply makes sense. The first fight was awarded fight of the year and was a pulsating battle which saw an early knockdown, 10th round drama and action in every round. Since then both fighters have gone up in weight and had significant success. Maidana is a stronger and better fighter since their first fight and Khan, thanks to Virgil Hunter, seems to have improved his defensive frailties.
The fight would be a box office hit in Vegas and a fight fans would gladly pay for. The fight also holds great significance to the division. Maidana has proved what a strong fighter he is at 147 with his one-sided victory over Adrien Broner and his performances against Floyd. Maidana is now looking to move forward since those defeats. Khan impressed in his last performance against Alexander also. They both look in great shape, they are both stars of the division and the fight can be easily promoted. The question is on Khan, would he risk a fight against Maidana? He has more than enough power to stop Khan as he so nearly did in the first fight. Maidana would take this fight with both hands but I doubt Khan would do the same. Still, this fight should have a good chance of happening.
Danny Garcia:
This is another fight that should have a very realistic chance of happening all things considered. Garcia has made it clear that he will be moving up to 147 sooner rather than later. He defeated Khan by a 4th round TKO knocking him down 3 times in the process. At that moment, Garcia proved many critics wrong showing that he could despatch of a world class opponent in 4 rounds. However, he has failed to progress in terms of popularity amongst the boxing fans mainly due to his disputed victory over Herrera, followed up by a pathetic mismatch against Rod Salka.
It seems a distant memory since Garcia out boxed ruthless KO artist Lucas Mattysse and Garcia only has himself to blame. However the show goes on for Danny. He is an undefeated champion that has proved doubters wrong more than once. Similar to Maidana, a Khan and Garcia rematch can be easily promoted and would likely be an entertaining encounter. Khan can further silence his critics with a win over Garcia and prove that he is a level above. Like most top contenders and champions, Garcia possesses the power to finish Khan once and for all and take the welter weight limelight he is yet to stand in. If Garcia moves up then this fight makes sense and is perhaps the most likely to happen if Khan cannot land the Floyd fight.
Shawn Porter:
Taking Khan’s last performance into account it would not be foolish to place Khan as an overwhelming favourite if this fight were to happen. Khan’s speed would simply be too much for the young bull and while it’s possible Porter may have his moments I can’t see it ending any other way. Porter’s loss to Kell Brook pretty much closes the book on this one. If Khan is not willing to face Brook next year then it’s highly unlikely that he will fight an opponent that has already lost to Brook. Sorry Shawn fans, but you’re man is out of the question.
Robert Guerrero:
Guerrero V Khan was being mentioned before the Alexander fight was negotiated. Guerrero flew into the welterweight mix after defeating Andre Berto. A win over Berto landed him the biggest fight the welter weight division has to offer against Floyd Mayweather. Guerrero was completely out boxed and out classed by Mayweather who made easy work of the determined contender. Since the Mayweather fight, Guerrero has slipped off the radar and has only fought once since then in winning a competitive fight against Kamegai.
Guerrero is an interesting case in relation to Khan and I could actually see this fight taking place all things considered. He doesn’t possess much power or speed for that matter but he is very durable and finds a way to win. If Khan’s wishes do not come to life, it is very possible he will take a stay busy fight, get a victory and wait on the winner between Floyd and Manny to fight him. As mentioned early, it’s a risky tactic but not something that would surprise boxing fans. Guerrero fits the bill.
Two other mentions would be Adrien Broner and Juan Manuel Marquez but realistically I don’t see those fights ever happening. Broner has a lot of work to do before he can be regarded as a major player at 147 after his woeful performance against Paulie Malignaggi and was after totally dominated by Marcos Maidana. His loud mouth won’t save him and unless he changes his childish attitude he will not be considered a threat to the welter weight division. Marquez is a very different option. Personally, I think Marquez would have a very real chance of beating Khan. Yes Khan may be fast, but Marquez absorbs to deliver as we’ve seen against Pacqiuao. If Juan can leave Manny flat faced on the floor, he can certainly do the same to Khan. The major issue here would be if Juan would fight at 147. He currently fights at 140-143 and a natural welter weight like Khan may be too much of a step.
So, if Khan doesn’t land a Mayweather or Pacquiao fight in May and is not willing to fight Brook then who does he fight? In a division so rich with talent and potential classics it seems a shame that fighters like Khan are only interested in one path; the path to Mayweather. Khan V Brook makes as much sense Pacquiao Mayweather. It would sell out Wembley stadium faster than Groves V Froch, it’s a world title fight and both are striving to reach the top of the division. It would be a Global PPV hit and both fighters would receive career high paydays. Khan cannot afford to wait for Floyd to fight him because it may not happen. Floyd has 2 fights remaining on his contract and it is possible that he could end up fighting Manny twice and go into a happy retirement. Selling out a national Football stadium is more likely to attract Floyd and Manny to fight the winner of Brook V Khan. This fight makes sense! Khan cannot rely on negotiations between the two to go sour this time. The fans want Pacquiao more than they want Khan and that is the truth Khan needs to understand. However, if Brook is left out of the equation then there are 6 or 7 world class fighters that would be more than willing to fill in for Kell. Great fights are out there for Khan and it would be a true tragedy if he were to sit and wait.
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