MANNY PACQUIAO has sent Amir Khan the birthday message he only ever dreamed of hearing: You kicked my ass.
The eight-division world champion, universally acknowledged as the best boxer on the planet, has admitted for the first time Khan has got the better of him in their fierce spars.
Pacman told Freddie Roach, who trains them both, "Amir kicked my ass today" after their final session ahead of Khan's world-title defence against Marcos Maidana on Saturday night.
Roach added: "Amir beat the s**t out of him for four rounds in their last session before we started easing off the training. Even Manny knows that and he said so."
Khan, 24 today, has been sparring with Pacman - the first boxer in history to win 10 world titles in eight different divisions - ever since he linked with Roach.
He turned to Roach two years ago when his career was falling apart following a shock 54-second knockout defeat against journeyman Breidis Prescott.
Such is Khan's rise since that dark night that there is talk of facing Pacquiao for real - even though the Bolton Bomber doubts that will happen because of their friendship outside of the ring.
Floyd Mayweather jnr, who knocked out Ricky Hatton in 10 rounds, is a more realistic proposition should Khan come through as expected against Argentinian slugger Maidana.
Khan said: "I think Mayweather might be a little too much for me at the moment. But that is a fight for the future.
"He was following me on Twitter and then all the people were going on about us fighting and he stopped following me.
"He has blanked me ever since. I know he could read all the messages that people were tweeting and I don't think he liked it so I 'unfollowed' him as well."
Roach added: "I used to think I had one fighter who could beat Mayweather - but now I think I have got two.
"I am not a big fan of Mayweather - Amir and Manny have speed which he can't handle. If Mayweather won't fight Manny, maybe he will fight Amir.
"I am not saying I would want that one right now, but maybe in another two fights."
Roach 'tested' Khan before he agreed to take him on by throwing him into a sparring session with Pacman at his Wild Card gym in Los Angeles.
He has been impressed ever since, steering him to the world title and two successful defences, and says it is Khan's ability to listen which is setting him apart.
Advertisement
27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="https://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=3,0,0,0" id="ftswfid300250" width="300" height="250">