Amir Khan Says Floyd Mayweather Is Scared, Predicts Andre Berto Will Test Money

British boxer Amir Khan thinks that undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. is ducking a potential showdown with him but has backed Money’s unfancied upcoming opponent Andre Berto to cause problems on September 12.

Mayweather will square off with Berto in what could be his last outing in a boxing ring. Needless to say, it’s a fight that has failed to capture the imagination of many of the boxing cognoscenti.

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But Khan, while insisting he’d have no issues getting in the ring with Money, has backed his stablemate to tough it out, per BBC Sport:

"

I'd fight Mayweather any time. But Mayweather is scared. One thing about Amir Khan is, he's never afraid of anybody.

[…]

I'm going to continue working hard to establish myself at the top of the welterweight division. Floyd Mayweather has fought the biggest names throughout his career and has earned the right to face whoever he chooses.

I wish my stable-mate Andre Berto and trainer Virgil Hunter the very best of luck in the fight. I have seen how hard Andre trains and works and know that he is ready to give Floyd a very tough night.

"

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Khan also claimed that he has been the “frontrunner” three times to face the immaculate American, but on each occasion Floyd has opted for a different opponent. But for Mayweather to chose Berto this time, who has lost three of his last six fights, represents such a peculiar decision.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael tried to look at the positives, of which, admittedly, there are few:

Khan has the right to be frustrated when looking at the calibre of Berto in direct comparison to himself. After all, despite some heavy losses earlier in his career, the former has established his reputation as a top-level performer, with confident, classy wins in his last three bouts against Luis Collazo, Devon Alexander and Chris Algieri.

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While plenty will point to Khan’s enthusiasm to fight Mayweather as a factor in his favour, FightNights.com thinks the Brit's persistence may have cost him:

In fairness to Khan, the American has teased him into thinking the fight was close on myriad occasions. As noted in a piece by Rafael, Money conducted an online poll to determine his next opponent in 2014, which the Brit won; Mayweather chose to fight Marcos Maidana anyway.

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Plus, Khan has already beaten Maidana. Also, Berto’s hallmark career-win came against Collazo in disputed circumstances, a fighter whom Khan completely outclassed in May 2014.

As noted by commentator Ian Darke, it’ll be a downtrodden end to a storied career for Mayweather if it is indeed his last fight:

For Khan, there are still options in the division. His compatriot Kell Brook has all the qualities to make a major fight, while the likes of Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman would make for intriguing matchups. Perhaps Mayweather’s decision to go elsewhere will finally allow the Brit to focus on other ways to enrich his reputation, too.

It’d be understandable for Mayweather to opt for a lesser-quality fighter in what is potentially his farewell, but Berto will be forensically picked off by Floyd. Needless to say, not only would Khan have made for a much better spectacle, but a much more lucrative occasion, too.