By Jason Kim: World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s) reportedly wants WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) to have to travel all the way to the UK to fight in front of Khan’s home crowds rather than Khan fighting Marquez in a neutral country like the United States. Khan, 23, feels that since he’s holds the title that Marquez wants, then Khan should be the one fighting in front of his home crowd. As of now, it’s unclear whether Marquez will take the fight with Khan or not. Golden Boy Promotions, who promotes both Khan and Marquez, really wants the fight badly, as does HBO.

The fight will likely take place on December 11th. It does seem a little strange that Marquez, the much more accomplished fighter and the much better known of the two, would have to travel to the UK to fight the young champion. However, it could end up that way, as Khan would likely be able to attract more fans for this fight in the UK than if it were to take place elsewhere like the United States. Khan still is an unknown there, having fought only once against the light hitting former IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi last May.

It’s going to take Khan awhile to build up a large fanbase in the United States, and he may have a hard time accomplishing that until he starts taking on the tougher fighters from his own weight division and not older lightweights like Marco Antonio Barrera and Marquez. Golden Boy and Khan are hoping that the Marquez fight will help in establishing Khan as a star. But it may take wins over younger fighters in the light welterweight division for that to happen. Khan really needs to fight Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander, Marcos Maidana and Victor Ortiz if he wants to rise up quickly.

However, Golden Boy Promotions don’t appear to be in a hurry to put Khan in with any of those fighters. They could be worried that Khan will get knocked out again like he was against Breidis Prescott when they matched him tough two years ago in 2008. Khan has been selectively matched since that fight and put with fighters with light to moderate punching power, but no sluggers. Marquez, who’s best weight was featherweight, isn’t a big puncher now that he’s moved up in weight to the lightweight division. If he decides to take the fight with Khan and move up to the light welterweight division, Marquez could find himself too weak and slow to compete.

At 37, he’s a bit old in the tooth to be moving up in weight and will likely get beaten by Khan. Marquez is hoping to get another crack at Manny Pacquiao after having fought him twice already. However, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, says that Marquez will have to beat the top fighters in the light welterweight and welterweight division to get a crack at Pacquiao. Specifically, Arum wants to see Marquez fight guys like Joshua Clottey, who Arum promotes, Andre Berto, Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander.