Amir Khan vs. Lamont Peterson Is a Pointless Exhibition If Khan Wants a Legacy

As Amir Khan prepares himself for Saturday's 12-round championship fight against American Lamont Peterson, part of me considers the fight a non-event.

The only fight Khan needs to have in this division now is against Tim Bradley.

The bookies are certainly backing Khan against Peterson—as am I—after which a lot of people are expecting him to step up a division into the Welterweight class where he will be alongside greats such as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

That's all well and good, but Khan has already stated that there's no way he'd fight Manny Pacquiao because he has too much respect for him.

If it ever boiled down to Pacquiao and Khan holding all belts between them, what's going to happen?

Do they both just fight other opponents that aren't good enough and both claim to be the best in the world?

The fact is, if Khan doesn't fight Pacquiao or Mayweather, he will never be considered the best of his generation.

If Khan waits too long to fight either of them, they might be considered over the hill and past their best, and thus Khan still won't get the recognition for fighting them. That is, especially if he were to actually beat one of them.

In boxing, there is no room for friendships if you are in the same division and one of you holds a title belt that the other aspires to.

It's just nonsense to say you won't fight out of respect. If that's the case, there'd never be a fight.

I understand the ramifications for Freddie Roach, being the trainer of both fighters, but note that Roach hasn't said the fight couldn't happen. He just thinks it's unlikely.

If Khan really wants to build a lasting legacy as the first ever British pound-for-pound champion, he needs to beat the best at their best.

That's going to have to be sooner rather than later in my book.

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