Khan is name on Floyd’s list

AMIR KHAN is again having the carrot of a mega-bucks fight with Floyd Mayweather dangled under his nose.

Mayweather, having won his boxer-of-the-generation fight with Manny Pacquiao, was asked who is left out there for him to beat. The one-word reply: “Khan”. The boy from Bolton had taken a day-trip away from his own training camp near San Francisco to present himself at ringside in Las Vegas for the so-called Fight of the Century yesterday morning.

He has always believed he inflicted the first defeat of Mr Money’s career but, as in all things in boxing, it’s all in the timing.

Mayweather insists he will fight one more time in September before “It will be time to hang up the gloves”.

If so Khan, a devout Muslim, would have to seek a religious dispensation to curtail his observance of Ramadan.

Otherwise he would not have time to prepare fully for the biggest night of his career.

Khan, pictured above, may be even more reluctant to compromise his faith, given that Mayweather has promised to fight him twice before… only to pull the carrot away at the last moment.

With Pacquiao considering his future, the likelier option appears to be a late November or early December fight with the Pacman in Abu Dhabi, for which a substantial offer is already on promoter Bob Arum’s table.

However Khan announced he is ready to take on the undefeated American.

“I think the fight is there,” Khan told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme.

“I spoke to Len Ellerbe, his manager, I saw him in the media room and he came over to say ‘Hi... he’s ready when you are.”

“I think Mayweather’s team are wanting the fight. But then – on the other hand – I’ve even spoken to Manny’s team and they said the same thing. (They said) ‘Look Amir, I think it’d be good to have the fight between you and Manny next’.”

“So, I’m in a position where I could fight either guy but I think Mayweather’s the one I want, because I really believe I have his number.” The 28-year-old from Bolton returns to New York later this month to take on Chris Algieri on May 29, but he hopes to get a meeting with Mayweather set up for later this year or in 2016.

He added: “Before anything I have Chris Algieri to take care of. But I’m ready for whatever Mayweather wants. “It just depends on my schedule this year, but if we could do this year or maybe early next year I will definitely jump to it.” And Khan, 10 years Mayweather’s junior, is confident he would more than match him.

He said: “I think it would be an amazing fight, one that boxing fans all around are talking about because I really believe size is a big factor between me and him and the speed and the power as well.” – Daily Mail

See page 25