Khan close to landing dream Mayweather fight

Sport360 staff 10:33 16/01/2014
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  • Floyd Mayweather Junior says he will name his next opponent within a week – and it won’t be Manny Pacquiao.

    Mayweather, who arrived in South Africa yesterday to help promote boxing in the country, named Britain’s Amir Khan and Argentina’s Marcos Maidana as the leading contenders for his next bout in Las Vegas on May 3 and said: “We will know within the next seven days.”

    The undefeated Mayweather, now 45-0 after dominating Canelo Alvarez for a majority decision in September, also wrote off Pacquiao’s renewed attempts at making their mega fight happen as desperation because of the Filipino’s unpaid tax issues.

    Mayweather said of Pacquiao: “Two losses and tax problems later, now he all of a sudden want to say: ‘You know what? I’d do anything to make the fight happen’.”

    While it seems clear that Pacquaio will not be facing his long-term rival Mayweather, his good friend Khan may well finally be granted his opportunity at the pound-for-pound number one. 

    The former two-time world champion has been keen to secure a shot at Mayweather and recently told Sport360° why he deserved a shot at the highly-skilled American. 

    "I want the Mayweather fight,” Khan bluntly told Sport360° earlier this month while in Dubai. “A lot of people are saying Maidana could be in the frame, but he is a guy I have beaten. He is a guy who hits hard but he is just another Saul Alvarez (who Mayweather outclassed in September).

    “Why is Floyd always fighting one style of fighter? People want to see him in an explosive fight; people want to see him come up against someone with speed, movement, and agility.

    “I know that I would bring more money to the table than someone like Maidana. I know that if I fight Floyd he will get paid a lot more than if he fought Maidana."

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