By Mark Vester

Trainer Freddie Roach recently spoke to reporters about some possible fights involving WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan, who makes his American/HBO boxing debut on May 15 against Paulie Malignaggi at the WaMu Theater in New York's Madison Square Garden.

One fight that Roach wanted to happen was against Juan Manuel Marquez. Golden Boy Promotions tried to make it happen but it fell apart. Marquez and his manager Nacho Beristain felt they were being used as a "stepping stone" to build Marquez. 

"I'm disappointed that Marquez did not accept the fight with us. Nacho said we were setting him up, I said 'setting you up, we are giving you an opportunity a t a fourth world title to make history.' But they chose not to fight us. I thought it was good timing for Amir. I thought it was real tough fight also. I do respect Marquez, he is a great fighter. I think timing is on Amir's side. I think he could do good with him," Roach said.

Then there is the man at the top of the junior welterweight division, WBO champion Timothy Bradley. Roach didn't seem to be too eager to place Khan in the ring with Bradley. That is probably a fight Roach is going to advise Khan to avoid until there is a lot of money on the table, and Roach doesn't deny that fact. Roach is very impressed with some of Bradley's recent fights.

"Timothy Bradley is a fight that we'll take when it's ready to be a big, big fight and a big unification fight. It's a fight we welcome but not at this point. Timothy Bradley is a very, very hard fight and it should be a mega fight that should make them a lot of money. Right now Bradley is getting to be a lot more well known but he's still not a Pacquiao or a Mayweather yet," Roach said. 

"That's a very tough fight but a fight I would like to have but you would need a truck load of money for a fight like that. It's part of the business. Bradley has impressed more more than anybody [at 140-pounds]. He is improving all the time. He's a complete fighter. He has a great chin. He's a mobile. He's a very good fighter."

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