INTERVIEW: Amir Khan on Floyd & Pacquiao

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  • Speed kills: Amir Khan is all smiles after beating Chris Algieri in New York.

    It remains Amir Khan’s dream fight – but getting Floyd Mayweather into the ring is again proving beyond his reach.

    The former light welterweight world champion and Olympic silver medallist is convinced the pound-for-pound king is simply running away from him. Mayweather is expected to announce a fight against Andre Berto on September 12 and has said his will then quit the sport. So where does that leave the Bolton-born Khan?

    The 28-year-old sat down with Sport360 to discuss both his and Mayweather’s future.

    It doesn’t look like you’re going to get your dream fight with Floyd Mayweather so where are you at right now in terms of your next opponent?

    I’m looking at finding out in the next week or two so it’s coming along. It’s left to Al Haymon, he advises me so whoever he says to fight is who I’ll fight.

    It’s whatever makes sense financially because it’s a business. He’s been good with me, he’s looked after me really well, he’s got me some good deals. He pays me well.

    It makes sense. I’m happy with things. I’m looking at fighting the last week of November or the first week of December.

    There’s no point in me looking at opponents yet because Mayweather might pick them! But we’ve got a list so when I go back home next week I’ll sit down with my team and discuss it.

    Is the Mayweather fight definitely off or is it possible he could spring a surprise and announce you as his opponent as a tactic?

    It can’t happen with me and Mayweather I’ve been calling him and his team, Mayweather’s just not interested.

    If he does call me out, six weeks before the fight it would be cheating his fans, cheating me because he knew he couldn’t beat me fair and square. Unless he changes the date I can’t see it.

    But thinking about it, even if he does pick me now it’s a fight I could do because I’ve been keeping on top of the training – if the fight did come up, training’s not been bad.

    You say Mayweather’s ducking you, why do you think that?

    I really believe he thinks it’s going to be a very hard fight and he knows it’s a fight he might lose.

    Non-boxing fans might not understand but stylistically look at what gives him problems: Speed, movement, accuracy, power, size. I know Manny Pacquiao had speed and power but he couldn’t get to him. You know why he couldn’t get to him? Because he didn’t have the size.

    Physically he was tiny compared to Mayweather. I was watching the fight from ringside and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Mayweather made it look so easy because he didn’t let Manny settle down. He made it boring.

    Do you think given the way Mayweather is, this fight in September will indeed be his last?

    No. People say Mayweather’s fighting Berto. Is it a good opponent for him or is it just getting that contract out the way, having that 49th fight and getting it out the way? But why end his career on a low note?

    People remember you for your last fight. Why does he want to match Rocky Marciano’s record when he can beat it? I hope that it goes the way that there’s a 50th fight.

    I’d fight Floyd Mayweather for peanuts because I know that stylistically I can give him the biggest problems he’s ever had.

    I might have a harder fight with Manny Pacquiao and beat him but then I might have Mayweather and find it easier to beat him. It’s all about styles.

    In the 70s and 80s all the top fighters fought each other but it’s not like that anymore, it’s like a business. I still could have been unbeaten if I’d picked the fights.

    But I just fought whoever was put in front of me. When I fought [Breidis] Prescott he had 19 fights and 18 knockouts, perhaps I shouldn’t have taken it – but I did.

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    Bob Arum was talking again recently about getting a card together in Dubai, could you see that happening?

    A fight with Manny Pacquiao in Dubai could be massive. I’d love to take that fight. We’re friends but sometimes you’ve got to put friendship to one side.

    That fight would be amazing. If that fight does come off it would be towards the end of next year in Dubai. Obviously Dubai has a big Filipino community and a big British and Pakistani community, too. It would be a massive fight.

    What is your aim in boxing now, is it the money, world titles or fighting the biggest names out there?

    My dream was to win world titles and I will win a third world title. I said when I was younger that I’d become a three-time world champion and then call it a day. I think it’s meant to be. I want to look back and say ‘I fought the likes of Marcos Maidana and Barrera and won’.

    Sometimes I have to pinch myself. I’m a boxing fan as well. With Mayweather, though, it’s all about the record. If he does fight me and beat me, people will put their hands up. They’ll say ‘he fought speed in Amir Khan and won, he fought power in Maidana and won and fought skill in Pacquiao and won’. He realises is that with me he’s going to have big problems. That’s why he’s giving it a miss.

    Shane Mosley called you out on Twitter on Monday and said he would be your next opponent, what are your thoughts on that?

    I think Shane just wants to cash in. I don’t want to fight Shane because I’m a fan of him and I don’t want to give him a beating. I want to remember Shane’s a fighter who fought the best. If I fight him and beat him I won’t get the credit for it. It will never, ever happen. I can’t believe he’s even calling me out! I’m not sure if he needs the money, he must be desperate.

    Amir Khan and Shane Mosley (R).

    Keith Thurman is another big name in boxing right now and will also be disappointed not to get a crack at Mayweather, is that a fight you would take?

    Keith is a good fighter. He calls himself ‘one-time’ but it should be ‘sometimes’ because it’s just not really happening for him lately, with the level going up around him.

    I like him and I’d take that fight. He’s obviously built his name up in America knocking people out and beating a lot of the people who I’ve beaten. Next year could be the biggest year of my life. Maybe a Kell Brook fight could happen, maybe a Keith Thurman fight could happen. If it makes sense, then definitely.

    Danny Garcia is fighting Paulie Malignaggi this weekend, you were beaten by him three years ago is that a defeat you’d like to make right?

    Yes, 100 per cent. I’d love to have a rematch with Garcia or [Lamont] Petersen. It won’t happen though. I would love it but when they’ve been sounded out about it I’ve had no response. Last few fights as well, Garcia’s not looked the fighter he once was. He was on fire a couple of years ago, beating myself, Zab Judah and Erik Morales but he’s struggled lately. I don’t think Paulie will cause him any problems because when I fought him in 2009 they said he was over the hill then.

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