Manny Pacquiao Fight Targeted by Amir Khan After Looming Floyd Mayweather Battle
Amir Khan has admitted it would be a "dream" to fight Manny Pacquiao in Abu Dhabi.
The British boxer—who hunted a battle with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Pacquiao before the pair's May 2 bout was confirmed—hasn't given up hope of landing one of the greats just yet.
Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail reported quotes from Khan, who said, "I want this fight. I would love to box Manny. We’ve been looking at an event in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is only a short drive away. It’s a dream of mine to fight in that part of the world."
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Powell explains why this ambitious clash may be more than a fantasy for Khan:
"Bob Arum, the PacMan’s vintage promoter, has to hand a treasure trove of an offer for a fight in Abu Dhabi this November or December. Khan, the stand-by for Pacquiao had Mayweather refused the Fight of the Century, is Arum’s first choice for that extravaganza in the Middle East.
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Khan's popularity in the Muslim world makes him an obvious choice, according to Powell. The speedster did all he could to entice Mayweather before the long-awaited Pacquiao clash was agreed—including issuing a five-day ultimatum in January—but Money suggested Khan's "name holds no weight."
Mayweather has indicated he only has one more fight in him after the Pacquiao bout, suggesting boxing has become little more than a means to make money, per Powell.
"I'm pretty much done with all this," he said. "It's not fun like it was back then. It's business now. I don't really enjoy it any longer. (I'll fight a) final one at the MGM Grand in September."
Vitally for Khan, Pacquiao is already targeting a rematch against Pretty Boy, albeit with greater terms, noted by Powell.
"I am not happy to have conceded 60-40 percent to Floyd. Negotiating would be easier for the re-match. To make this happen we had to give him everything he wanted. If there is a next time it would be a different deal," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao is two years younger than Mayweather and can be expected to appear in a handful of contests after the May 2 encounter. If Bob Arum is to utilise Pacquiao for the reported November/December battle in the United Arab Emirates, this wouldn't work alongside Mayweather's alleged plans to have his career tied up by September.
This could allow Khan to step up. The Bolton-based brawler is desperate to receive an opportunity after he impressively beat Devon Alexander. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, his upcoming bout with Chris Algieri will do little for his reputation across the globe.
Khan needs to beat someone like Kell Brook, Adrien Broner or Miguel Cotto to mark himself as a legitimate contender to Mayweather or Pacquiao.
He used to spar with Manny, so a matchup between the two would present plenty of interesting subplots. Khan's speed remains his greatest weapon and could certainly push Pacquiao onto the back foot. However, if the Filipino is looking to find his first knockout since 2009, Khan's glass jaw likely remains tempting.
Khan has a tendency to look beyond his upcoming opponent and onto bigger things. His ambition cannot be faulted, but at this point in his career, his losses against Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia continue to weigh his credentials down.
He may be an excellent draw for a UAE-based battle with Pacquiao, but many onlookers will still be awaiting the moment Khan marks himself as a truly unavoidable foe for the best.
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