By William Mackay: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan continues with his excuses as to why he won’t fight undefeated Kell Brook, saying that he hasn’t made enough of a name for himself by fighting quality opposition. Khan says he prefers to go after the big names in boxing rather than face Brook, although some of the so-called big names that Khan mentions aren’t really big names in the United States.

Khan said this on his twitter today: “Just to clarify something. Me and Kell Brook are in different weight divisions. I’m 140lbs, he’s 147lbs…I’m after the big boys. [Lamont] Peterson, [Juan Manuel] Marquez, [Victor] Ortiz, [Devon] Alexander, [Floyd] Mayweather, all great fighters. Brook got a long way to go. [He] aint fought nobody.”

Khan still isn’t there yet himself in the United States. He was beaten by Breidis Prescott, and then he’s fought and defeated Paulie Malignaggi [an a big name on the East coast of the U.S, but not in the other parts], Marcos Maidana [Khan didn’t shine in that fight and may have been knocked out had the referee not continually broke up the action in the 10th when Maidana had Khan badly hurt and was trying to take him out], Paul McCloskey and Zab Judah. The win over Judah was slightly tainted, as Khan held Judah down with his left arm while hitting him with a right to the belt line. Holding and hitting isn’t allowed in boxing and the referee completely missed Khan’s foul.

Marquez isn’t going to fight Khan; Peterson already beat Khan and is fighting him in May. I don’t think Khan is at all serious about wanting to fight Alexander. He’ll lose to that guy. Khan clearly wants the Mayweather fight because it’s a fight where he wins even if he loses because of the payday involved and the worldwide attention he’d get. It could make a name for him even if he gets blown out. Ortiz is another fighter that Khan likely won’t be fighting anytime soon because he’s dangerous and would have a good chance of knocking Khan out and possibly messing up his hopes of fighting Mayweather. I say possibly because Mayweather fight fight Khan anyway even if he gets beaten by someone else again because that’s probably going to be Khan’s pattern during his career – fighting in exciting fights where he desperately has to run, hold and shove in order to keep from getting knocked out. Khan will probably continue to lose every once in a while to pressure fighters or guys that land a big shot. He’ll be like Wladimir Klitschko with his weak chin and tendency to have to move and hold.