By Edward Chaykovsky
British star Amir Khan (31-3, 19KOs) has denied the recent claims that were made by Karim Mayfield.
Khan is pushing to get in the ring with WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
But Mayweather created some confusion last month when he mentioned Karim Mayfield and Andre Berto as the frontrunners to face him in the fall.
Mayfield staked his position to get the opportunity by stating that he badly punished Khan during sparring sessions.
"Every time I sparred Amir Khan at Virgil Hunter's gym, I put hands on him. So bad that Virgil had to stop the sparring sessions. Khan has also been brutally knocked out twice by Prescott and Garcia. The man has no chin and he wouldn't last 12 rounds with Money Mayweather. He's definitely the safer route," Mayfield said.
"I've been the ring with everyone. I soundly beat Herrera, I whooped Pacquiao and Khan in sparring. Shawn Porter refused to step in the ring when he had the choice to fight me or Erick Bone with only one day notice. A lot of fighters have ducked me because I'm a serious threat to anyone."
While they did spar a few times, Khan denies Mayfield's version of the sparring sessions.
"Me and Karim sparred only two or three times and [trainer] Virgil Hunter was there with the team. I like Karim, I think he's a nice guy and he's always been very supportive and very helpful when I've needed him in training camps but what he said never happened," Khan told Sport 360.
"Obviously he's going to say things just to make him look good. Floyd mentioned his name as a possible opponent. But whatever he said is not true. I mean look where I am and look where Karim is. He's a good fighter and I like him as a person but Mayweather says he needs an easy fight and maybe that's why he put Karim's name in there. I don't see that fight selling or Mayweather ever taking that fight.”