By Jeff Aranow: Amir Khan has started training camp for his next fight in April or May against an opponent still to be determined. Khan was hoping to face Manny Pacquiao, but the money from the UAE didn’t come through for the match. Khan is still hoping that a fight against Pacquiao can get made. It doesn’t look like it’s going to happen until possibly later this year in November. Pacquiao could face Top Rank fighter Jeff Horn in June in Australia.
Khan is fighting for the first time since having hand surgery on his right hand to repair a problem with it. He’s looking forward to testing it out in the ring. Khan thinks he’ll be able to land with more power than he’s done since he turned pro many years ago. Khan could have used the right hand power in his last fight against Saul Canelo Alvarez last May. Khan’s power shots were bouncing off the head of the much bigger Canelo. Khan ended up getting knocked out in a brutal fashion in round 6.
“I’m training camp. I started training camp early to get focused,” said Khan to IFL TV. “I have a date at the end of April or early May. People are talking about Manny Pacquiao. That fight may happen. I’m not focusing on that. I’ve been let down many times in boxing. If that fight happens, it happens. I’m looking at other options. I spoke to Al Haymon, and he’s looking at other opponents for me also. Maybe my next fight could be in the UK. I’m going to speak to Al Haymon to see if he can get that done. I should find out in the next couple of weeks,” said Khan.
The Pacquiao is not a realistic option for Khan. If it were, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum would be talking about it. Everything points to fighting Jeff Horn. That would be Pacquiao’s third consecutive fight against a fighter in Arum’s Top Rank stable. I think that’ the direction Pacquiao is going in. Khan might have a chance in November to fight Pacquiao if Arum doesn’t match him up against another one of his fighters from his stable like Terence Crawford. Arum wants to make that fight.
Khan will likely be matched against a beatable opponent for his next fight in April or May. Khan can get a big money fight against IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook this year if he wants that fight. Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn would take the fight against Khan in a second if he agrees to it.
