Pacman snub permits Khan vs Brook fight

Andy Lewis 09:57 07/12/2015
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  • Let’s do it again: Manny Pacquiao (r) is expected to fight Tim Bradley for a third time.

    The waiting is nearly over for Amir Khan, Tim Bradley and Terence Crawford with Manny Pacquiao expected to reveal his final opponent in the next few days.

    The Filipino legend is hanging up the gloves to concentrate on politics after one last farewell fight on April 9 next year in Las Vegas.

    Khan has all but accepted it won’t be him, while if reports from both the US and Pacquiao’s native Philippines are to be believed, Bradley is a strong frontrunner to get the fight.

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    If that indeed proves correct then it is a fairly underwhelming conclusion to Pacman’s incredible career.

    We are not in Mayweather/ Berto territory, far from it, but it would simply be nice to see something we haven’t seen before.

    The bout would be a rubber match given Pacquiao and Bradley each hold a victory over the other, but the prestige of a trilogy fight is severely undermined by what is a misleading scoreline.

    Pacquiao dominated Bradley in both previous fights, only being denied victory in their first meeting by some of the most scandalous scoring ever seen.

    ‘Desert Storm’ is a talented and game fighter, but if the best Manny Pacquiao and the best Timothy Bradley turn up on the night, then we all know what happens next.

    That’s not to say it would be entirely uncompetitive and perhaps Pacman, after losing three of his last six, deserves to leave the sport victorious.

    Besides, there is an obvious silver lining to such a scenario which should spice up the welterweight division in 2016.

    Snubbed repeatedly by Mayweather, and now it seems by his former stablemate, it would leave Khan with nowhere to turn apart from a match-up with British rival Kell Brook.

    The former Olympian has progressively softened his stance on facing the IBF welterweight title holder as he grudgingly accepts what everybody else has known for some time – it’s a fight that makes sense on every level.

    Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn, an outspoken critic of Khan in the past, is now extremely positive a deal can be reached for a bout in May next year. “Amir’s not got the Pacquiao fight,” said Hearn.

    “I always felt Brook is the obvious choice, but Mayweather and Pacquiao were big fights for Khan and now they are not happening.

    “I have said to Amir that if we don’t get this sorted in the next couple of weeks we will miss the boat for a summer fight.

    “Brook one million per cent wants the fight, now I believe Khan wants the fight, so we will meet next week and I believe we will get the deal done.”

    Brook will likely have to take care of his IBF mandatory challenger Kevin Bizier first after the governing body ordered that fight to be made.

    The 29-year-old is unlikely to relinquish his strap so will have to take a fight frankly nobody wants to see. Brook’s first defence was a four-round demolition job on a previous IBF No1-ranked fighter in the shape of Jo Jo Dan – a man who holds two wins over Bizier.

    Meanwhile, a date is yet to be finalised for the Keith Thurman versus Shawn Porter fight, although the latter is still confident of it happening.

    Porter, who like Thurman is signed to Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, was in New York on Saturday night to watch Danny Jacobs’ stunning first round knockout of Peter Quillin on a PBC card.

    And Porter said: “I came here to watch the fights, but more so I want to know what’s going on. I don’t want to leave New York without knowing if it’s going to be Keith. I am not frustrated, mad or upset. You go through a lot of emotions as a fighter.

    "I fought in June, was expecting to fight in September, realised that wasn’t going to happen and then it would be Keith in December. Now we are in December, I’m told January.”

    Hopefully the next few weeks will reveal more, and raise hopes that 2016 can do justice to one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

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