ESPN UK: Mayweather set to fight Khan and Pacquiao within next 18 months

Mayweather set for Khan & Pacquiao within 18 months Steve Bunce ESPN UK September 20, 2011 The ending of Floyd Mayweather Jnr v Victor Ortiz was a disaster for Ortiz, referee Joe Cortez - and in many ways, for Mayweather too. He was no more than two rounds away from taking Ortiz out, because he'd found his rhythm and couldn't miss him with the right hand. In the end he won with what can only be described as a legal sucker punch. What Mayweather did was wrong morally. Yes, he had just been headbutted, but after that the fighters embraced, exchanged kisses, touched gloves, nodded, smiled - in short, it seemed they'd made up. For that reason, Ortiz has a right to be really confused. He apologised for a blatant butt - one that he would have been thrown out for in non-title fights - then stood there thinking Floyd's his best friend again. Suddenly, bosh, it's all over. We wouldn't be discussing this if Cortez, who will be 68 next month, had control of the fight - but he lost his authority for the final 15 seconds. After the headbutt, he should have said "box on" or "let's go" - and to be fair to him, he said the latter - put his hands between the two fighters, and then let them go at it. But one fighter had his back to Cortez when he said "let's go", and he was standing in a poor position. So what Floyd did was perfectly acceptable within the rules - although not very sporting. Everyone has lost something from this fight, but it's Cortez who has suffered the most. He'll sit down and watch that, and hopefully he's a big enough man to drop his head into his hands and say: "I lost control." I've got nothing personal against Cortez, but consider this: what if Ortiz hadn't butted Mayweather; what if Ortiz had already been dropped with one clean shot? What if in those circumstances, with Ortiz just knocked down and hurt, Cortez is looking at the timekeeper? Would Mayweather be allowed a couple of free shots? If it did happen that way, there would be uproar, and debate over whether Cortez could continue as a referee. 'What Floyd Mayweather Jnr did was wrong morally' © Getty Images Enlarge Instead, he'll get another chance because he's a celebrity referee. Meanwhile, Ortiz was all smiles after the contest, and he won't be too bothered because in his last fight he made $130,000 and in this one he pocketed $2.5 million. Floyd didn't get the exact result he wanted, because he was after a knockout. By the end of the next round or the one after, he would have ended up stopping Ortiz fully legitimately. However, we did get to glimpse the savagery we know exists in Floyd - something he'll need to show a lot of if and when he fights Manny Pacquiao. I'm told by Richard Schaefer, the Golden Boy CEO, that Mayweather will fight three or four times within an 18-month period, and then that will be it. Schaefer swears we are going to see Mayweather v Amir Khan and Mayweather v Pacquiao. Schaefer has got no reason to lie. He put his hand on his heart, and gave me an assurance that Mayweather will fight on a regular basis. I tell you what's interesting - reading through the 100s of pages of interview transcripts from Mayweather in the build-up to this fight, there must be 30 occasions where Mayweather compliments Schaefer. They are bosom buddies. Mayweather doesn't say "Golden Boy Promotions", he says "Richard Schaefer Promotions". The farce of Khan having to fight Jessie Vargas before Mayweather is over. That was exposed within about ten seconds of Vargas boxing the other day, when he got a dubious points win against Josesito Lopez. The people that pay the money in TV won't pay for Vargas v Khan - Vargas operates at a different level, it's like watching a different sport. But Khan v Mayweather, that will sell. And from what I hear, it could well happen