Khan tipped to face returning Pacquiao in Middle East showdown
Amir Khan dispatched fan favourite Chris Algieri over 12 rounds in New York last May, earning his 31st career victory, which he believed finally warranted him a shot at undefeated 11-time world champion Floyd Mayweather.
The Bolton-born fighter has long been searching for a lucrative showdown with ‘Money’ Mayweather, but his chances of ever meeting the American in the ring were dealt a fatal blow recently.
Mayweather has since agreed to face Andre Berto in what he has stated will be his final ever ring appearance, in which he is 13/8 with Coral to win by KO, but Khan’s hopes of a welterweight mega-bout are being revived elsewhere.
Manny Pacquiao has emerged has a potential opponent for an ambitious 28-year-old Khan, with ‘Pacman’s’ promoter Bob Arum causing a frenzy among boxing fans by declaring the duo could meet in the Middle East next year.
“This kid Amir Khan keeps shooting his mouth off about Manny Pacquiao. I can arrange for Khan to fight Pacquiao,” stated Arum.
“Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I’m not a hard guy to deal with. I’m not going to mess them around.”
Arum was just one of many who slated Mayweather for his decision to gift Berto a surprising title shot in his apparent final ever bout, claiming Khan should have been given the opportunity.
“That’s a farce. Mayweather should have fought Khan next. It would have been an interesting fight,” the promoter added.
“One thing’s for sure, Pacquiao is not ducking Khan. Pacquiao will fight him. I don’t know if Khan will fight Pacquiao, but it’s available.”
Filipino Pacquiao is taking the rest of this calendar year off due to a shoulder injury, a problem which emerged after his defeat to Mayweather in the highest grossing fight in the sport’s history earlier this year.
Though, in 2016, once the only ever eight-division world champion has recovered, ‘Pacman’ could come head-to-head with Khan in what is already being dubbed ‘the Duel in the Desert’.
Mayweather continues to be the star attraction in boxing at the age of 38, being able to easily offer the biggest pay-days for any opponent who renters the ring with him, living up to his fitting nickname.
Unfortunately for Britain’s former Olympic Gold medal hero Khan, the man on the receiving end of such an opportunity will be Berto on September 12th, who is 14/1 to cause one of the greatest ever boxing upsets in Las Vegas.
Although, a showdown for Khan against his former training partner Pacquiao would undoubtedly be welcomed more passionately by fans of this much loved sport, as the pair potentially get set to come together next year on foreign soil.
