Maidana says no Mayweather deal as Khan waits

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, center, on his arrival in Johannesburg Wednesday Jan 15, 2014. AP FILE PHOTO

LAS VEGAS – Undefeated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather is making England’s Amir Khan and Argentina’s Marcos Maidana wait to learn which of them he will fight in May.

World Boxing Council champion Mayweather, 45-0 with 26 knockouts, has a scheduled May 3 bout in Las Vegas but has yet to say who he will fight in what figures to be a rich payday for either rival.

Mayweather, who turns 37 of February 24, conducted a social media poll earlier this month to see who fans wanted to see him face and Khan won, but the US fight star has been silent on confirming who he will fight since then.

World Boxing Association welterweight champion Maidana, 35-3 with 31 knockouts, released a statement Sunday on his Facebook page saying he had signed no deal to face Mayweather but hoped for news in the coming week.

“Considering that rumors have been circulating in the last few hours addressing a ‘done deal’ fight between WBA Welterweight champion Marcos Maidana and WBC champ Floyd Mayweather we want to clarify that those versions are not accurate,” Maidana said.

“Maidana is well aware that he is indeed a firm candidate to face Mayweather next May 3 but the fight is far from being made or confirmed as other fighters are still also in the mix. Hopefully we will have news in the next few days but in the meantime we don’t want to confuse the fans or the boxing press. Maidana of course wants to unify titles with Mayweather but for now we will have to wait.”

Khan, 28-3 with 19 knockouts, pulled out of a planned December world title fight for the chance to take the ring with Mayweather, has not fought since last April.

The 27-year-old Englishman, three years younger than Maidana, tweeted his frustration at the delays over the weekend and said he will meet with promoter Golden Boy this week to decide what to do next as his patience wears thin.

“Only my follows and fans can push for the fight against FloydMayweather We need to get tweeting him. Give the fans what they want,” Khan encouraged his Twitter followers Saturday.

“If it’s not Floyd then who ever he fights, good luck. All this waiting around is not good for boxing fans and the fighters,” Khan tweeted.

“Left this with my team and golden boy promotions. Don’t want to disappoint fans and keep them waiting, and don’t want to keep myself waiting.

“Meeting GoldenBoyBoxing next week to see what my next moves are. Sorry to keep you all waiting.

“What do you think.. Was the FloydMayweather poll a publicity stunt? We sure will find out soon.”

Mayweather will not be fighting Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, the fighter most boxing fans wanted to see him face years ago.

Pacquiao is set to face Timothy Bradley on April 12 in a rematch of the American’s controversial 2012 split-decision victory over the Asian southpaw.