By William Mackay: World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) mentions WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s) and top contender Victor Ortiz (26-2-1, 21 KO’s) as two fighters he could possibly be fighting next. In an interview at Boxing Fanhouse, when asked who he will be fighting next after his May 15th bout against Paulie Malignaggi, Khan said “We got Maidana, Victor Ortiz and maybe Timothy Bradley later this year. I want the big names. I’m with Golden Boy right now. The best fights for the best time.”

Besides the last line, which sounds like one of the throw away lines that his trainer Freddie Roach typically makes when being asked questions about Khan, it’s surprising that Khan is mentioning both Maidana and Ortiz, two of the more hard-hitting and dangerous light welterweights in the division. Is Khan serious about wanting to fight either of them? He says he wants the big names, but is Khan ready for them?

I don’t know that I believe what he’s saying about wanting to fight those guys, because he’s mentioned Maidana in the past as someone he would soon be fighting. Instead, we’ve seen Khan fight a badly over-matched Dmitri Salita, who he easily beat in a one round demolition, and now Khan is taking on Malignaggi, perhaps the weakest puncher in the top 15. Malignaggi poses little threat to Khan’s weak chin and won’t be able to do much other than dance around for 12 rounds landing soft shots.

I saw Maidana’s last fight against Victor Cayo, and I got to tell you, Khan doesn’t look ready for that kind of fighter to be coming after him. The Maidana that beat Cayo on March 27th, would drill Khan into the turf. If Khan is serious about choosing Maidana next all I can say is Khan better say his prayers because he’s probably not going to last longer than six rounds at best against Maidana.

I don’t care what ingenious plan that Roach comes up with for Khan, he still will have big problems with Maidana’s power and his constant pressure. I think the biggest advice that Roach will likely give Khan for a fight with Maidana is to tell him in strong terms not to fight Maidana. Whatever Khan says about Maidana, I believe the opposite. If he says might be fighting him next, I’m thinking he won’t.

Maidana has a fight with Bradley coming up in June, and if Bradley beats Maidana, which is very possible given Bradley’s ability, this will let Khan off the hook as far as Maidana is concerned. He won’t have to fight him then because he’ll have another loss on his record. But I don’t expect Khan to fight Bradley either. Ortiz would be almost as dangerous as Maidana in a six round fight.

If Khan could survive six rounds against Ortiz, then there would be a chance that he could out-box him in the second half of the fight because Ortiz sometimes tires out. But, if Ortiz fights aggressively like he did in the Maidana fight, I think he’ll destroy Khan in a round or two. Ortiz hits really hard and has fast hands. I don’t think Roach or Golden Boy will match Khan up with Ortiz, even though Ortiz is with Golden Boy as well. They want to turn Khan into a big star, and if they put him in with a big puncher like Ortiz, we could have another knockout loss for Khan like the one he suffered against Breidis Prescott in 2008.