Floyd Mayweather Must Fight Amir Khan in 2015 to Seal Legacy
The most shocking element of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s masterclass against Manny Pacquiao was the ease with which he nullified the Filipino's tactics and aggression.
Pretty Boy showed he has no equal when it comes to being boxing's pound-for-pound king, as he thoroughly beat and outclassed Pac-Man.
The fight was supposed to be the biggest test for both athletes, but it was just another day for Mayweather in his Las Vegas office, and his face hardly showed any damage in a sport in which taking punches is expected.
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In retrospect, the fight came five years too late for Pacquiao, and Mayweather likely knew that before entering the ring at the MGM Grand.
Money must now look for a different way to seal his legacy. The win against Pac-Man became a mandatory affair, much simpler than fight fans would have expected. Carl Froch expressed his own surprise at Mayweather's brilliance after observing from ringside:
Amir Khan should have been the man stepping into the ring with Mayweather on Saturday night, and at 28 years old, the British fighter is entering his prime.
He has looked impressive recently and will take on Chris Algieri in New York on May 30. Should Khan come through with his record intact, he will surely be the man Mayweather looks to for one last fight.
But the BBC Sports' Dan Roan highlighted the fact that Pretty Boy is not yet prepared to confirm or deny this train of thought:
Khan has always had raw talent—something once identified by Pac-Man trainer Freddie Roach, who took the Bolton-born lad under his wing.
But Khan is a much more complete fighter after flying away from the Wild Card nest, and he no longer looks like a boy in a man's world.
In December of last year, Khan produced one of the highlights of his career, dismantling Devon Alexander with the most convincing and controlled performance of his decade as a pro.
And it is that kind of display that makes him the perfect opponent for Mayweather—a genuine test for Money to exit the sport of which he is the undoubted Godhead.
Khan may need Mayweather so he can take the final big step of his education, but Pretty Boy needs to fight a valid contender after an easy time against Pacquiao.
Khan identified why Pac-Man failed against Mayweather and arrogantly informed the world that he is the man to right the wrongs, per BBC Sport:
"The mistake Manny made was to drop to Mayweather's pace. You need to stick to your own pace and that's what a younger man could do. Mayweather is a very classy fighter but he is not the biggest puncher. He won't hurt you. One boxer who can get to him, throw a lot of shots, and show a lot of heart, is Amir Khan.
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And heart is the key here. Pacquiao did not show the heart to beat an alpha male such as Mayweather, and Khan can hurt Floyd Jr. with stinging raids.
Mayweather must fight Khan in 2015, and if he beats the British fighter at their chosen venue, he will truly have no one left to face.
Money will always be remembered as the best boxer on the planet since the turn of the 1990s, but if he really wants to go out with a bang, he must defeat Khan over 12 rounds.
The ideal place for the fight would be Wembley Stadium, but that would be a step too far for Mayweather, who prefers the oxygen in Nevada and wouldn't want to face the unexpected in London against a packed house of British fight fans.
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