By Chris Williams: For what it’s worth, WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan is picking his buddy Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KO’s) to stop Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) in the 8th or 9th round next month in their fight on November 13th. In an article at Abs-cbnnews.com, Khan says this about his close friend Pacquiao: “I’m totally behind Manny Pacquiao. I think Manny is the best fighter in the world. Whoever you put in front of Manny Pacquiao, I think Manny will beat easily. He’s got the skill, he’s got the speed, he’s got the footwork. This fight I think Manny will stop him maybe in round eight or round nine.” Oh brother, Khan is going a bit overboard. I’m cool with his prediction.

That sounds about right, but Khan really goes off the deep end with the business about Pacquiao being the best fighter in the world and all that nonsense. Let’s be real here. Floyd Mayweather Jr., even with all his problems, tars and feathers Pacquiao any day of the week in my estimation.

Mayweather looks a couple levels above Pacquiao, and whatever personal problems Mayweather may be having right now doesn’t change his god given ability. But I can see how Khan would be so enamored with Pacquiao and all. He went all the up to the Philippines to help Pacquiao prepare for Margarito and to get in some training with Freddie Roach for his important clash with Marcos Maidana in December. The last thing I can see Khan doing is inserting his foot in his own mouth by saying he thinks Pacquiao is number #2 or something like that.

Khan also says “Manny is tougher. Manny is big and strong as well.” Manny is big? What on earth is Khan talking about? The dude is flapping his gums without engaging his brain. Pacquiao is only 5’6″, so what I Khan talking about? Pacquiao is small, much smaller than Margarito. That’s what Khan should have said, and then throw in the stuff about Pacquiao being strong an all that. Pacquiao is strong, but that wouldn’t help him against Mayweather, Paul Williams, Sergio Martinez or James Kirkland. Those are the guys Pacquiao should be fighting, not Margarito. That dude already got beat by 38-year-old Shane Mosley. What victory is there in beating Margarito at this point when he’s already been exposed? This is one of those easy fights between stable fighters as far as I’m concerned.