WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan believes he has more chance of facing Floyd Mayweather than pound-for-pound superstar and stablemate Manny Pacquiao.
Earlier this week, Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer revealed he had spoken to the Mayweather camp about a Khan fight, with November 2012 the prospective date.
Five-weight world champion Mayweather is set to make his return to the ring in September's WBC welterweight showdown with Victor Ortiz, but the clamour for him to face Filipino sensation Pacquiao remains.
Protracted wranglings over a drug testing procedure acceptable to both fighters have so far prevented the blockbuster clash from becoming reality, leaving Khan - like Pacquiao a student of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach - of the opinion he is well placed to tackle the undefeated American.
"I think if the fight takes place, it will be me and Floyd," he said. "Me and Floyd will probably happen before Manny and Floyd."
Khan, who is currently preparing for a unification showdown with Zab Judah in Las Vegas on July 23, is far from daunted by Schaefer's talk and feels he could be in prime position to score an upset over Mayweather next year.
"It's very exciting," he said. "These are goals that I've always wanted to achieve - to fight the best in the world. And I might get the chance to fight one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.
"Me and Manny Pacquiao will never fight each other but Floyd Mayweather is a name that I can fight.
"He's been rated the best fighter pound-for-pound in the world for years and years.
"I really think I'd do well against him. The next year will give me more experience and I think I've got the skills to beat him.
"It's a timing game and I think timing wise it will work out perfectly."
But Bolton's 2004 Olympic silver medalist knows his prospects of denting Mayweather's unblemished 41-0 career record will all but disappear if he fails to negotiate a potentially tricky assignment against slick southpaw Judah.
The 33-year-old New Yorker - himself a former Mayweather foe - has won world titles at the light-welterweight and welterweight limits.
In March he climbed off the floor to stop South Africa's Kaizer Mabuza in seven rounds and claim the vacant IBF crown.
"We know Zab Judah is a very dangerous fighter with both hands," Khan added. "He's got power, he's got speed, he's got angles.
"He's got a lot of experience and we need to beat that."
