Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: Amir Khan Wants to Fight Pacman in April
Great Britain's top welterweight Amir Khan is reportedly considering Manny Pacquiao as an alternate opponent, should Floyd Mayweather Jr. pick Marcos Maidana for his Cinco de Mayo event on May 3 at MGM, Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Khan, who was the favourite to win the Money May sweepstakes before Maidana burst into the scene following his 12-round demolition of Adrien Broner in December, revealed that he already signed the contract to fight the reigning pound-for-pound king, though Mayweather Jr. is apparently having a second thought on the fight proposal.
Mayweather racked up more than $100 million in 2013 for demolishing welterweight contender Robert Guerrero and light middleweight poster boy Saul Canelo Alvarez. In 2014, the Grand Rapids native aims to set the bar even higher by breaking his own fight-purse record and Pay-per-View revenues.
To accomplish his goals, Mayweather will be looking for a marketable foe for his next fight. Khan has many followers in the United Kingdom, though not as passionate as Ricky Hatton's fanbase. Moreover, boxing analysts predicted a lopsided fight in Mayweather's favour.
Khan captured world titles in two different divisions, but pundits believed the Briton doesn't have tools aside from his hand speed to match Money May's boxing brilliance.
Maidana, who lost to Khan in an epic 12-round slugfest a few years ago, has become a hot commodity as of late after beating up three-division world champion and pound-for-pound star Adrien Broner. Sources indicated that Mayweather is intrigued by Maidana's straightforward fighting style, not to mention his immense Latino fanbase.
Pacquiao vs. Khan in April
In the latest report on Boxing Scene, Khan said he may opt to fight his former sparring partner and stablemate Manny Pacquiao, if Mayweather decided to take on Maidana next.
"Former champion Amir Khan is attempting to apply pressure on WBC welterweight king Floyd Mayweather Jr. Khan has already revealed that he signed a bout agreement to face Mayweather on May 3rd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas," reported Boxing Scene.
Pacquiao is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Brandon Rios, a year after he was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in the sixth round of their welterweight showdown.
Khan said he has great respect towards Pacquiao, but businesswise, he believed a showdown with the former pound-for-pound kingpin will generate tremendous interest in the boxing world.
"I'd fight Manny," Khan told Daily Mail via Boxing Scene. "Look, it's business. We are friends and respect each other, but I would definitely consider the fight, and I am sure he would too. To bring it to Dubai, too, that would be huge. I am ready for whatever. Have I ever turned down a fight? Never. I fight whoever is put in front of me."
Top-Rank Promotions President Bob Arum said Pacquiao is scheduled to make his 2014 debut in April. Timothy Bradley Jr. and Ruslan Provodnikov are likely candidates for Pacquiao, however, Arum could still bring in an intriguing foe such as Robert Guerrero or possibly Khan.
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