Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan. File photos
BRITON Amir Khan is back at the top of the list of Manny Pacquiao’s possible opponents for what could be the Filipino icon’s last fight on April 9 next year.
According to The Telegraph, negotiations are going smoothly for the bout that’s likely to be staged in Las Vegas.
“I’m sure the kid [Khan] would take the fight,” promoter Bob Arum told The Telegraph’s Gareth Davies Monday night. “Khan, his uncle Taz and his lawyer could be getting on a plane and coming over to Las Vegas and we could thrash this thing out.”
Khan’s name resurfaced after Floyd Mayweather Jr. reiterated that he won’t be coming out of retirement for a rematch with Pacquiao, whom he beat by decision last May.
Though Pacquiao considers Mayweather as the most lucrative option, the eight-division world champion is willing to take on anybody that Arum will pit against him in the ring.
The Sarangani representative has repeatedly said he’s ready to fight Khan, whom he had sparred with at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, or other fighters like Danny Garcia and Terrence Crawford.
Garcia, the former WBA and WBC light welterweight king, holds a 31-0 card with 18 knockouts while Crawford, the 28-year-old WBO light welter titlist, totes a 27-0 record with 19 KOs.
Though Khan is on holiday in India, the Bolton fighter confirmed to Davies that negotiations with the Pacquiao camp are indeed going on.
“Talks are going really well,” said Khan. “They (Pacquiao’s team) are speaking to my team, so I have just left it to my team.”