Amir Khan’s wish of fighting against undefeated boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather may have been dashed as he is poised to fight with Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East.
Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, will open talks with the Bolton fighter’s management this week in a move that could ease the disappointment of Mayweather’s repeated rejections, a situation that Arum calls ‘a farce’.
According to reports, it was revealed in May that plans were in place for the fight and while Mayweather will take on Andre Berto in Las Vegas on September 12, a meeting between Khan and Pacquiao has been mooted for early 2016 by Arum.
The Top Rank CEO has suggested Middle East as a location ahead of Vegas with Abu Dhabi the likely option as Dubai has been ruled out as a potential host.
“This kid, Amir Khan, keeps shooting his mouth off about Manny Pacquiao. I can arrange for Khan to fight Pacquiao,’ Arum said.
“Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I’m not a hard guy to deal with. I’m not going to mess them around. Manny’s not going to fight this year,” he said.
“He’ll fight early next year and probably in the Middle East. Vegas is a possibility, but more likely in the Middle East. It won’t be in Dubai but it will be in the Middle East. If not, we’ll do it in Vegas.’
The Pac-Man complained of an injury to his right shoulder when he was beaten by Mayweather in May but Arum says he is recovering well and will be ready for a return to the ring in 2016.
While he criticised Mayweather for avoiding Khan as an opponent in his 49th – and likely his last – fight, the 83-year-old said there was no chance of his man pulling a similar stunt.
“One thing’s for sure, Pacquiao is not ducking Khan,” Arum said.