Amir Khan is looking to be the last man standing in Golden Boy Promotions' proposed internal 140-pound tournament. Khan faces Julio Diaz in Sheffield on April 27. WBA/WBC champ Danny Garcia takes on Zab Judah at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also on April 27, and Lucas Matthysse is set to face IBF champ Lamont Peterson on May 18th in Atlantic City, with the winners of the two respective fights then battling each other for the right to fight Khan.
Khan spoke to Ringside Toe 2 Toe podcast, giving his toughts on the tournament, Garcia vs. Matthysse, Peterson vs. Matthysse and more.
"Golden Boy said they are going to do a mini tournament. It's going to be between Garcia-Judah, the winner fights the winner of Matthysse and Peterson, and at the end of the year the winner of that fights me. The reason they fight me at the end of it is because I can't fight in the middle because I've got Ramadan, I'm going to be fasting. It's a religious month for us, so I'm going to take time off there. When you take time off fasting for a month, you need another month to recover from that.
"Hopefully we'll know by the end of the year who the best 140lb fighter is and that's going to be between the five of us. The five top names out there and we will all know who the best is at the end of the year. I want to get past Julio Diaz, who I can't take eye my off, because Julio Diaz is another dangerous opponent for me."
"Even though I think a lot of people are going to say Matthysse is going to walk through him, I don't think that will happen," he said. "Matthysse is a heavy puncher, but a good boxer will beat him just like when Zab Judah fought Matthysse. He boxed him and he won the fight, but it was a close fight.
"I think Peterson will stay behind the jab and he'll keep boxing him and not get involved, especially when Matthysse will try throwing those looping shots. I think Peterson will stay nice and tucked up. I think Peterseon might just take that fight but it's going to be an exciting fight.
"Then on the other hand you've got another fight between Garcia and Judah which is going to be another big one. I think Judah is probably past it now, but maybe for three or four rounds he will be good to watch. But after that I think Garcia will probably pick up and beat him."
