Manny Pacquiao vs. Amir Khan: Latest News and Comments on Potential Fight
Amir Khan claimed on Oct. 14 he was no longer pursuing a fight with Manny Pacquiao after the Filipino put off signing the contract.
However, it appears things have changed, as Pacquiao is considering a potential April 9 encounter.
Continue for updates.
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Pacquiao Admits Khan Fight 'Possible'
Thursday, Nov. 5
"I’ve not talked to Bob Arum yet, but it’s possible. It’s part of our plan, we have Amir Khan, Danny Garcia, Terrence Crawford or Timothy Bradley," Pacquiao told Ashley Hammond of the Gulf News (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com).
"But I don’t know yet, a lot of names have been given to me by my promoter Bob Arum. [It’s] not yet [decided, but] we are going to finalize,” Pac-Man added.
Arum Reveals Timeline for Khan/Crawford Decision, Denies Khan Deal Has Been Signed
Thursday, Nov. 5
"(Pacquiao adviser) Michael Koncz is flying over to the Middle East where Manny Pacquiao is at this moment—with tapes of the Crawford fight and tapes of Amir Khan," Arum explained to Ryan Burton of BoxingScene.com. "We will be discussing everything with Manny next week after the Bradley-Rios fight and we will have a decision probably by mid-November," he added.
Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail had reported on Nov. 3 Pacquiao vs. Khan was a done deal for early April.
However, Arum responded the same day, telling ESPN.com's Dan Rafael (warning: full tweet contains NSFW language) that it isn't true.
Khan Frustrated with Pacquiao Camp
Tuesday, Oct. 13
"I'm really disappointed in Manny and his team," said Khan, relayed by Abu Dhabi newspaper the National (h/t Sky Sports). "They aren't playing ball. All that was left to do is to sign the contract. But they are stalling. I have pulled out of the negotiations. I am no longer fighting Manny Pacquiao."
However, Khan later tweeted confirmation that the fight will still go ahead if Pacquiao signs the contract.
Khan Represents Dangerous Option for Manny
A collision with Khan would be Pac-Man's first fight since he lost to Floyd Mayweather in May this year. Since that bout, the 36-year-old has been recovering from a shoulder injury.
The Brit has made major strides in his last three bouts, winning in impressive style against Luis Collazo, Devon Alexander and Chris Algieri. He is ready for a step up in class and has the quality to trouble an ageing Pacquiao.
The veteran clearly wasn’t at his ferocious best against Mayweather, with many attributing his lack of dynamism in the bout to the damaged shoulder. After such a long, draining and thrilling career, it’d be intriguing to see whether he would be able to cope with the fast hands of a resurgent Khan.
On Sept. 28, the Bolton-born puncher told Sky Sports of his hopes that a win over Pacquiao could potentially lure Mayweather out of retirement and into a bout. But it’d be a massive mistake to look beyond a fight with someone as talented as Pac-Man, who should be desperate to make amends after a tough few months.
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