By William Mackay: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN, is looking at matching World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) up against one of the following opponents for his debut fight in the United States on April 10th: Juan Manuel Marquez, Paulie Malignaggi, or Juan Diaz rather than WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana. Rafael says that HBO is “very interested” in Khan facing the 36-year-old Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) next.

That would be a great fight if Marquez and Golden Boy Promotions go for that fight. It’s hard to see Marquez, the WBO lightweight champion, being used as a stepping stone for Khan to essentially look good against. Khan already faced a smaller old champion in Marco Antonio Barrera and in facing another smaller fighter in 5’7” Marquez, it could leave one with the perception that Khan is being served up older fighters to inflate his resume.

But in this case, Marquez may have enough left to still destroy a fighter like Khan. In his prime, this is likely as easy fight for Marquez to win. However, Marquez, a featherweight as recent as 2006, didn’t look at all good in moving up to 143 to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September in a welterweight bout. Marquez appeared bloated and slow at that weight. Although a fight against Khan would be held at light welterweight (140), it still isn’t a good weight for Marquez.

You would have to consider the 5’10” Khan as having the clear advantage if the fight is held at light welterweight rather than lightweight. Ignoring the size and weight issues for this fight, bring in good ratings and possibly halfway decent pay-per-view numbers if that’s the way that HBO wants to go with this fight.

I don’t know how much interest there would be by non-British fans in the U.S. for this fight, because no one outside of hardcore boxing fans has ever heard of Khan. There are a couple of problems with making this fight right off the bat. Marquez is in the running for a fight with the much more popular Ricky Hatton. If Marquez takes the fight with Khan, he’ll likely make a lot less money than he would for a fight against Hatton.

Also, Marquez will obviously want to be paid well if he’s being used as stepping stone for a younger fighter like Khan to look good against. Then there’s the issue of Maidana. The WBA has directed that Khan face Maidana next. If he wants to skip that fight, which is a very tough one for Khan because of Maidana’s huge power and Khan’s glass jaw, then Maidana is likely going to have to receive step aside money unless Khan vacates his title.

That’s a fight that boxing fans want to see, but Khan’s trainer, Freddie Roach, and Golden Boy Promotions aren’t in a hurry to put Khan in against a slugger like Maidana. It’s not hard to see why. Maidana already destroyed one of Golden Boy’s prized prospects Victor Ortiz in a 6th round knockout last year, and they probably don’t want to risk Khan against Maidana after that. Ortiz looks positively rugged compared to Khan in my view. Maidana could destroy Khan quite fast if they were to throw Amir to the powerful Argentinean fighter.

As for the other opponents, Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi, those fights could be a lot easier to put together than a Marquez-Khan fight. Those are winnable fights for Khan, but not necessarily ones where he will shine in. Malignaggi could end up making Khan appear clumsy and awkward with his style of fighting. Even if Khan wins that fight, he could lose with the fans.