Khan "I think Floyd will try to duck me"

from ESPN Amir Khan is concerned Floyd Mayweather Jnr will try and duck him like he has so far ducked Manny Pacquiao, should the two ever come close to stepping into the ring together. A welterweight title fight between Khan and Mayweather has been tentatively suggested as a possibility in about 12 months' time, with Khan set to make one more defence of his WBA and IBF light-welterweight belts before moving up a weight class. The Bolton-born fighter has made it known he hopes to fight Mayweather ever since seeing off Zab Judah in his most recent unification title fight in July. However, he is worried the experienced American - who has so far sounded receptive to the idea - will change his mind when a bout between the two becomes a more realistic prospect. Khan fears that, when the time comes, Mayweather will start employing the same tricks he has so far used to avoid fighting his Filipino nemesis. Khan believes Mayweather is running from Pacquiao because he isn't sure he can beat him. "I think Floyd Mayweather will avoid me like he's avoiding Manny Pacquiao and other fighters out there," Khan told the On the Ropes radio show. "I mean, he never takes on dangerous fighters like myself, by taking on a Maidana and Bradley. He likes to go in and take the easy route and fight the easy names that he knows he can beat." Mayweather's return to the ring will take place in September against Victor Ortiz, but Khan isn't impressed with the choice of opponent. "At the end of the day you have to remember Victor Ortiz fought on my under cards twice," he said. " Maidana is the guy who beat him, and then he goes Victor Ortiz is the biggest challenge out there for him, which in my eyes there are bigger names out there who I know can take Mayweather and give him a tougher fight than Victor." Khan already knows a thing or two about trying to arrange bouts with reluctant fighters, as he continues in his quest to get the other pedigree light-welterweight on the scene, Timothy Bradley, into the ring. However, the American remains elusive, and Khan expects to start negotiations with the winner of the forthcoming fight between Lucas Matthysse and Eric Morales after he returns from a two-week trip to Saudi Arabia. "The whole truth behind it is Timothy Bradley is scared and he knows he'll get beat and he'll get destroyed if he ever fought me!" Khan said. "If he goes on to get beaten by me then it will take away a fight between him and Mayweather or him and Pacquiao. That's the reason I really think he wants to cash in and he wants to avoid the big names who are coming up like myself and fight the big names because he knows maybe if he gets beat by Mayweather then he'll fight me. "He thinks that fight still might be there, but I'll tell you one thing - if he gets beat by someone like Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao before fighting me I'll never take that fight with him, because I want to fight him now while he's at his best and while he's at his prime and undefeated. "I want to prove that I'm the guy to take his zero and I want to beat him. If he doesn't want to fight me now then that fight will never happen." The winner of another forthcoming light-welterweight scrap between Paul McCloskey and Breidis Prescott - who have both faced Khan before - has been identified as another potential opponent for the 24-year-old, but he is focusing on Morales-Matthysse first. "You've got two names there who are good fighters," he said. "Also the WBC title is on the line. So there is another title to pick up, so there is something to get from the fight. Also, if Erik Morales wins I think that will be a good fight for me because he's a big name, he sells more tickets than Maidana, and like I said there's a title on the line. "Even if it's Matthysse, it's someone I have not boxed and someone I have not beaten and I think I'll take that fight. The best option I'm more looking at is the Morales fight against Matthysse."