By Edward Chaykovsky
Welterweight contender Amir Khan (29-3, 19KOs) is focused right now on fighting his former Wild Card stablemate, WBO champion Manny Pacquiao. The two boxers trained, and sparred together, for several years when Freddie Roach was their mutual trainer. Khan has since switched trainers to Virgil Hunter.
Because Floyd Mayweather Jr. is planning to fight on September 13th, and that date doesn't work for Khan's schedule, the British star wants to fight Pacquiao, who returns in late November.
“Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum have put their differences aside and they want to work together and co-promote fights in the future and why not an Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao fight to do that?” Khan said to The National. “We have a good history together; we both were trained by Freddie Roach, we sparred together hundreds of times, we are friends.
“But boxing is a business and I want to fight him and beat him and then fight Floyd Mayweather in May next year. That’s my target. We are both fighting next in November or December, so everything is perfect for us to fight. It’s speed, explosiveness and entertainment from both fighters and this is what fans want from boxing right now. Manny is slowing down. As we have seen in his past three fights, he is not the same Manny.”
