By Michael Marley
HOLLYWOOD--Bob Arum, sneaking up on his 80th birthday come Dec. 8, was standing on the stairway of Coach Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym, soaking up some sunshine and chatting with a pair of wizened fight scribes Wednesday afternoon.
Suddenly, world champion boxer and Roach disciple Amir Khan came bounding down the stairs. They shook hands, chatted briefly and the Golden Boy promoted fighter from Bolton, England, continued on his merry way.
Khan left the gym well before Manny Pacquiao zoomed up in his new Ferrari for a open media workout.
But, as the speculation continues that the two stablemates might fight each other despite their professional friendship and mutual head trainer, Roach more or less put all that to rest.
"I don't see it happening," Roach said inside his sweat emporium. "I don't think Manny and Amir will want to fight because they have so much mutual respect. I think they have enough respect that they won't want to do that."
Khan and Pacman have sparred together under Roach's watchful eye.
Roach then compared himself and his older brother, Pepper, to Khan and Pacquiao.
"It might something like that. I always wanted beat my older brother up in the ring but I could never do it. Well, maybe now I could...because Pepper had a stroke but..."
Khan-Pacquiao, it seems, will remain in the speculative category rather than ever coming to fruition.
Khan is busy prepping for a Dec. 10 Washington, DC, title defense against Lamont Peterson.
