Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr: Money Reveals Next Opponent; Reason For Dodging Pacman?
Pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. might have already revealed his next opponent before it becomes official this week. As expected, the Grand Rapids native is leaning towards fighting Great Britain's top welterweight Amir Khan, whom he called a great champion.
Mayweather, who's scheduled to return in the ring on the 3rd of May, promised to unveil his next opponent this week, though everybody knows that it's going to be the former lightweight and jr. welterweight champion.
"Next week. I'm looking forward to next week," Mayweather told veteran Boxing journalist David Mayo via Boxing Scene last week. "But as for me, right now, I'm not thinking about boxing."
Mayweather Calls Khan Young, Strong Champion
In a recent interview with Chris Robinson, Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) admitted he had little idea on the track record of Khan. However, he believes the Briton is a young, strong champion who doesn't back out from a fight.
"Amir Khan, I think he's a young, strong champion. I call all these guys champions. I call them champions because even when they get knocked down they get back up and give it their best. ... I do know, every time out, the guy comes and fights," Mayweather told Robinson via SB Nation.
"If he is the guy, then he's the guy. There's nothing I can do but go out there and execute the game plan and dedicate myself to my craft, which is boxing," he added.
Khan, who is originally scheduled to fight Devon Alexander this December, revealed he really has a shot at arranging a lucrative showdown with the current pound-for-pound champion in early 2014.
"I would tell you what, I wish that I could get an answer from them because I'm in the same boat as you guys," Khan said of Mayweather in an interview with Ring Magazine.
"I don't know myself. At the end of the day, Floyd Mayweather's the boss, and he is going to announce who he's going to fight. I understand that he might do it this week. Let's see. At the end of the day, styles make fights... I think that there's a 60 percent chance that it could happen, at the end of the day," he added.
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Still Dodging Pacquiao!
Despite WBC's move to put eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao as the no.1 contender for Mayweather's welterweight belt, the undefeated American fighter remains adamant in accepting a showdown with the Filipino fighting congressman.
In fact, sources indicated that Mayweather has not even included Pacquiao in his shortlist of possible opponent next year, living up to his words that he won't be fighting a has been boxer like Pacquiao.
Yet, no matter how hard Mayweather denies that he's not dodging Pacquiao, it's very clear in the eyes of boxing fans that he doesn't want to take on the Pacman and his explosive left hand. It's a smart decision by Mayweather as he looks to preserve his immaculate record. However, resisting to fight arguably the best Asian boxer of all time will surely hurt his legacy, even if he wraps up his career undefeated. One thing is very clear here, Pacquiao is really a threat to Money May.
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