By Edward Chaykovsky

Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum has promised to make Amir Khan's wish come true - by finalizing a deal for a fight in the Middle East or Las Vegas with eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

Khan had hoped to face WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Once again he was passed over, this time in favor of former champion Andre Berto.

Khan and Pacquiao were once training mates under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. Khan left Roach in 2012 and hired Virgil Hunter.

After the Mayweather fight fell through, Khan started turning his attention to a possible clash with Pacquiao.

"This kid Amir Khan keeps shooting his mouth off about Manny Pacquiao. I can arrange for Khan to fight Pacquiao," Arum told The Telegraph. "Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I'm not a hard guy to deal with. I'm not going to mess them around."

"[Pacquiao will] fight early next year and probably in the Middle East. Vegas is a possibility, but more likely in the Middle East. It won't be in Dubai but it will be in the Middle East. If not, we'll do it in Vegas."

Arum says he is more than happy to have lunch with Khan and work out the terms for a Pacquiao fight. There is increased interest from different groups who want to see Pacquiao fight in the Middle East.

"There's two different groups in the Middle East (wanting to host the fight). I'd like to do Pacquiao against Amir Khan but they'll take Manny against any decent guy. We're not dangling (an offer for Khan like Mayweather did). I want to go in and make a deal with the guy. I'm happy to have lunch with them and discuss the situation," Arum said.