Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan. File photos
British boxing legend Ricky Hatton thinks his compatriot Amir Khan is biting off more than he can chew against Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao and Khan are set for a showdown which is now eyed on May 20 in United Arab Emirates, as per the Filipino ring superstar’s adviser Michael Koncz in a story on BoxingScene.com.
“Manny has seen better days but I think he might still have a bit too much for him [Khan],” Hatton told Business Insider. “I hope I am wrong but Amir is coming off a heavy knockout defeat and that’s his third heavy knock out.”
“There are only so many times you can come back from [the] brutal knockouts Amir has had.”
Hatton, who suffered a devastating second-round knockout to a prime Pacquiao in 2009, fears Khan isn’t going to be the same fighter he once was after coming off another brutal knockout loss–the third in his career–in May last year at the hands of Canelo Alvarez.
The 38-year-old Hatton hasn’t fought since losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012. He has spent the last several years as trainer and promoter.
Pacquiao will defend his WBO welterweight crown against Khan. It will be his first title defense since winning the belt after a one-sided victory over Jessie Vargas last year.
The 30-year-old Khan, a former junior welterweight champion, will be going down in weight for his bout against Pacquiao after fighting Alvarez in the middleweight class.