British boxer Amir Khan with Qatar Olympic Committee secretary general Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari.
By Sports Reporter
Doha
The much-hoped Amir Khan-Manny Pacquiao boxing bout, supposed to be held in Doha, might not happen at all.
Media reports have claimed that the British boxer believes Pacquiao is not confident enough to face him in the ring. The 28-year-old Khan has been quoted by BBC as saying that he doesn’t want to “waste any time” and is instead looking at other potential bouts--such as a re-match with either Danny Garcia or Lamont Peterson, or an all-British affair against Kell Brook, after his talks with Pacquiao apparently “broke down”.
Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) has fought just once this year, against Chris Algieri in May which he won, after being snubbed for a third time by now-retired Floyd Mayweather.
He had been negotiating for an early 2016 fight with six-weight world champion Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) for quite some time after American Mayweather’s snub, but his offer has apparently been rejected.
Pacquiao, 36, is believed to have recovered from a shoulder surgery since being out-pointed by Mayweather in May and says his next fight will be his last before a career in politics.
“I’m really disappointed in Manny and his team,” Khan was quoted as saying by BBC. “They aren’t playing ball. All that was left to do is to sign the contract. But they are stalling. I have pulled out of the negotiations. I am no longer fighting Manny Pacquiao. I am not going to wait around for Manny like I did for Mayweather. I need to fight and if they don’t want to fight then that’s fine, I have other targets…. It just seems Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight me.
“We’ve been trying for the last few months to get it done,” the Briton, who is currently training in Doha while also commentating for the BBC at the AIBA Worlds, added. “I don’t want to be in the same position as I was with Mayweather, when he promised me the fight and I was waiting and waiting and it never happened. He (Pacquiao) probably just doesn’t feel confident and thinks it will be a tough fight for him.”
Khan said he is considering rematches with Americans Garcia, who stopped him in four rounds last year, and Peterson, who beat him on points in 2011. He also said he is open for a meeting with IBF welterweight champion and fellow Briton Brook.
“A rematch with Danny Garcia could be an amazing fight for me — it is a fight where I want to prove myself,” Khan told BBC Sport. “I know I am a better fighter than he is and I just made a mistake when I fought him the first time. When I fought Lamont Peterson I know I won the fight but didn’t get the decision, but a fight with Kell Brook could happen as well— he is one of the top guys who we would be looking at.”
Peterson (33-3-1, 17 KOs), who beat Khan by a controversial points decision in 2011, boxes Felix Diaz tomorrow, so he may not be available until early next year. But Garcia (31-0, 18 KOs), who stopped Khan in four rounds in 2012, would be available to fight in December.
The proposed fight with Sheffield’s Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) too may not happen until next summer as Brook is due to defend his IBF world welterweight title against Argentina’s Diego Chaves (23-2-1, 19 KOs) on October 24.
American Tim Bradley (32-1-1, 12 KOs) is also busy until 2016 since he fights Brandon Rios (33-2-1, 24 KOs) for the WBO title on November 7.
The reports further state that Pacquiao’s camp is apparently more interested on a rematch with Mayweather, who may come out of retirement to take his record to 50-0, one victory better than the legendary Rocky Marciano’s unbeaten mark.
“I am willing to fight anyone, but it seems not everyone is willing to fight me,” Khan rued.
