Amir Khan has "a great chance" of dethroning Manny Pacquiao to become the WBO welterweight champion when the pair meet on April 23, says Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya.
Khan's (31-4) long-desired bout came to fruition after he topped a Twitter poll Pacquiao (59-6-2) ran to see who fans wanted his next opponent to be. Pacquiao was originally slated to fight 2012 Australian Olympian Jeff Horn in Brisbane.
The Filipino said at the time the fight would be in the United Arab Emirates, but no venue has been officially announced, with the UK and USA also under consideration.
De La Hoya, who held titles in six different divisions before bringing down the curtain on his decorated career in 2009, believes Khan has the requisite ability to take the belt Pacquiao won against Jessie Vargas in November.
De La Hoya's company had promoted Khan for several years, before the British boxer broke away to join forces with adviser Al Haymon and his Premier Boxing Champions Banner.
Last May at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Khan moved up to a catch-weight of 155-pounds to challenge De La Hoya's star fighter, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. After starting off well in the early round, Khan was clipped on the chin and knocked out cold in the sixth. Khan, who underwent two surgeries to correct an old injury with his right hand, has been inactive since the encounter with Canelo.
De La Hoya told Omnisport: "I give Amir Khan a great chance [to defeat Pacquiao]. I've always believed in Amir Khan.
"Amir Khan is one of the best fighters on the planet. He has speed, he has power. I just think that this fight would be a great one.
"Amir Khan is young, so who knows what might happen in that fight. I wish him all the best."