Khan: I want Pacquiao next, then Mayweather in May, 2015

By Boxing News - 06/30/2014 - Comments

khan84By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (29-3, 19 KO’s) has now made up his mind that he now wants WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KO’s) next in November in his fight in Macao, China, and then provided that Khan wins that fight, he wants to go after the biggest name in boxing by taking on WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr (46-0, 26 KO’s) in May of 2015 when/if Mayweather fights on Cinco de Mayo on May 2nd.

Boxing fans were curious to know who Khan would be looking to fight in his next fight later this year after beating a couple of old timers in Luis Collazo and Julio Diaz in his last two fights, and little 5’5” lightweight Carlos Molina in his fight before that.

“I want to fight him [Pacquiao] and then fight Floyd Mayweather in May next year. That’s my target,” Khan said. “Official talks have already been started. We are both fighting next in November or December, so everything is perfect for us to fight. Its speed, explosiveness and entertainment from both fighters and this is what fans want from boxing right now.”

Well, if the options for Pacquiao is a choice between Khan, Chris Algieri, Juan Manuel Marquez [for $20 million], Danny Garcia, Terence Crawford or another fight against Tim Bradley or Brandon Rios, I think the choice is an obvious. Khan is the best option of that bunch for Pacquiao because he’s a scalp that the Filipino fighter still hasn’t bagged yet.

As long as Khan’s adviser Al Haymon is on board with him fighting a Top Rank fighter, then it’s a good deal. The only thing that could possibly get in the way of a Khan-Pacquiao fight is if Khan’s old trainer Freddie Roach throws a monkey wrench into the deal by telling Bob Arum of Top Rank not to let Pacquiao fight Khan next.

Roach already said he told Arum he prefers someone else like Danny Garcia to Khan, because of the holding that Khan now does in his fights. But Khan was holding like mad even when he was trained by Roach, so it’s hard to see what Roach’s issues are with the Khan fight other than the risk involved. If look at Khan’s fights against Zab Judah, Marcos Maidana and Lamont Peterson, Khan was doing a lot of holding in those fights. He won the Judah fight by holding him with one arm and hitting him with a shot to the belt line.

As far as how how much interest Top Rank will have in a Khan-Pacquiao fight is unclear. I kind of imagine that if Marquez drops his asking price to somewhere around the $10 million range, they’ll go with him in a heartbeat due to his ability to bring in a lot of pay-per-view buys. Marquez is already tested and true in terms of the PPV buys he helps generate. With Khan, he’s never been a PPV fighter in the United States, so it’s quite possible that a fight between him and Pacquiao could be a real dud, and no better than Pacquiao’s clashes against Brandon Rios and Tim Bradley.



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