With the news coming out today that Manny Pacquiao’s farewell fight is set to be a third clash with Timothy Bradley, it appears we can now add two more names to the list of fighters who won’t be fighting Amir Khan.
The former world champion from Bolton is fast running out of options and has fought just 5 times since his July 2012 stoppage defeat against Danny Garcia. Since that loss Khan’s name has been linked with the biggest names in the welterweight division, but he hasn’t fought any of them.
Khan has beaten Carlos Molina and Julio Diaz, when he was dropped, in routine victories, before quality displays in wins over Luiz Collazo and Devon Alexander. He wasn’t at his best against Chris Algieri in May, but the Bolton man provided enough entertainment to know he would be a good opponent for any top name in the division.
His pursuit of Floyd Mayweather was well publicised – in fact plenty of media outlets claimed the fight was signed on numerous occasions. But, the closest Khan got to “Money” was the chief supporting slot, where he put on a top performance to overcome Luis Collazo, on the same night he fought Khan’s former victim Marcos Maidana.
He has been relentless in his chase for the “Mayweather Sweepstakes” but following the former pound-for-pound king’s apparent retirement in September, Khan’s sights have been focused on Manny Pacquiao, his former training partner and the man who lost to Mayweather in May in the biggest fight, money-wise at least, in boxing history.
With Pacquiao scheduled to retire after his April 9th fight, Khan was desperate for his name to be on the opposite side. But, his links to the PBC, who are in dispute with Top Rank and HBO, meant he was always unlikely to ever get the fight, despite his claims.
So Bradley, a man Khan was rumoured to be facing when they were both light-welterweight titlists, and Amir is once again on the sidelines, wondering what he has to do to get in a meaningful fight once again.
The next question is who will he actually fight? His last fight with Algieri was under the PBC banner and there is no shortage of decent names for Khan to share the ring with.
However, the most obvious fight is the Kell Brook fight in the UK, which is becoming a more realistic option every week, as more and more rumoured Khan opponent’s are scheduled in elsewhere.
Brook, the current IBF welterweight champion, is desperate for the fight, no matter what he says. He will earn big money and it will no doubt be a huge deal at Wembley Stadium. What British fighter wouldn’t want to fight there at some point in their career.
Khan will no doubt want to be the first name on the billing, which is fair enough, as he’s earned that right. He’s fought better opponents, is a name that US broadcasters like and will provide the majority of fans watching at home.
Brook won’t be fazed by any of that, as he has been craving the fight for years. Khan has put it off more than a few times, first claiming Brook had to be a world champion and then when the Sheffield man achieved that, Khan said he hadn’t fought anybody worthwhile.
Well, it appears that Khan’s best option would be to return to the UK, where he last fought in Brook’s hometown back in 2013, and fight his domestic rival in a money-spinning mega fight. Surely it makes more sense now, with his limited options, than it has done for a long time.
But, Khan could always go elsewhere. If he does want to fight on Pacquiao and Bradley’s card, then I wouldn’t mind seeing him in with Jessie Vargas, who almost got rid of Bradley in their fight in June, but it was too little, too late. But, this is very unlikely due to the previously mentioned PBC and HBO rivalry.
So then the PBC banner is where his most likely opponent could be. Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter are rumoured to meet early next year in a massive fight and I’m sure neither of them would mind sharing the ring with Khan, especially with his defensive frailties and vulnerable chin a potential factor in any fight, in particular these two.
Errol Spence Jr is the biggest prospect in world boxing today and he would jump at the chance to fight Khan to gain a big name on his record. However, Khan still considers himself to be one of the best and I doubt he’d want to fight a prospect who could cause an upset and damage his reputation.
There are always the rematches with Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson, who have both finally made their way up to welterweight. The Khan-Garcia buildup was fascinating in 2012 and Garcia looks to be getting back to the same fighter who was superb against Khan and Lucas Matthysse having finally stopped trying to make light-welter.
But, Danny’s father-trainer Angel has supposedly ruled out the rematch, so why not Peterson, who beat him controversially in 2011 in Washington DC, remember the man in the hat, and was somehow awarded a victory in his last fight over Felix Diaz, when he appeared to have lost.
Both are very realistic options and perhaps his best choices if he chooses to fight on a PBC card, in a meaningful fight, instead of the financially rewarding meeting with Brook. Although lets be honest, if he fights on a PBC card, it will likely be against as poor an opponent as possible.
The Brook fight looks to be the only fight that will satisfy the Bolton man’s need for a big fight, top billing and financial reward. It’s in the UK, at our national stadium and for a world title. What’s not to like?
It’s finally time he stopped chasing the big names and gets it on with Brook in what would be the biggest domestic clash in Britain of 2016 and cement his legacy as one of Britain’s best ever.
- Matthew Bevan / @MBevs68
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