Before even getting in the ring with Devon Alexander on Saturday night, Amir Khan has been left reeling from a blow which has made the prospect of a domestic dust-up with Kell Brook next year more likely. Hours before Khan was due to face American Alexander at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, boxing’s biggest star Floyd Mayweather Jr was telling US TV network Showtime that he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 2. It is the first time the American has declared his intent to face Filipino Pacquiao in his next fight and his comments have created excitement among boxing fans across the world who have been waiting five years for the fight.
But to Khan, it will have been crushing news. The former world light-welterweight champion passed on an opportunity to face Alexander a year ago because he believed he was set for a money-spinning shot at Mayweather last May. But Mayweather, sport’s best paid athlete who has made ?67 million this year and has a perfect 47-0 unbeaten record, opted to fight Argentine Marcos Maidana – a former victim of Khan’s – instead. Speculation leading up to his fight with Alexander was that Khan, 28, would be guaranteed a shot at boxing’s pound-for-pound king Mayweather if he overcame Alexander in his second fight at welterweight. Win or lose against Alexander, Mayweather’s comments mean Khan will have crisis talks with American promoter Oscar De La Hoya next week about changing direction and making a fight with British rival Brook. Khan, 28, has already turned down a $5m (?3.1m) offer to face Brook, 28, from Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn. But talks may resume after Khan-Alexander as Hearn is also in Las Vegas and wants to stage Khan-Brook at Wembley Stadium in the summer with a 50-50 split. “Amir Khan is quoted this week saying, ‘On my terms, on this and on that’, I don’t care whose terms it’s on, let’s just get it made,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “Everyone wants to see it, it’s a wonderful fight. Amir Khan is a bigger name than Kell Brook, Kell Brook is a champion of the world. “It’s very simple: Wembley Stadium, 80,000 in the summer for the IBF welterweight champion of the world.” Brook, who was stabbed in the leg while on holiday in August, is first set to make a first defence against a mandatory challenger – either against Canadians Kevin Bizier or Dan Ion – in Sheffield on May 7. He is training in the Canary Islands over Christmas and told ESPN that Khan can earn more by fighting him at Wembley this summer than boxing Mayweather in Vegas after he took a pay cut to face Alexander for ?600,000.
Kell Brook is set to make a first title defence against a mandatory challenger on May 7 ? Getty Images Enlarge “He says he wants the big fights but he’s not even the best in Britain, I am, and he could earn more money fighting me than Mayweather,” Brook told ESPN. “Of course the Khan fight is what I want. How can it not make sense? It’s a massive fight, as big as Froch-Groves II at Wembley last May and makes superb sense to do. “I don’t see why he’s banging on about the Mayweather fight when there’s a bigger fight in his backyard. He doesn’t deserve to be fighting Mayweather, or me for that matter, but I just want to get rid of him.” Mayweather, 37, insists he wants to make the richest fight in boxing history happen next year and has urged Pacquiao, 35, to agree to face him on May 2. A clash between the world’s top two pound-for-pound boxers, who have won world titles at multiple weights, would be the biggest fight in years. It could make an estimated $300m (?190m) with Mayweather getting at least a 60-40 split in his favour. Las Vegas would be the most likely venue, with Mayweather’s WBC and WBO and Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight titles on the line. Attempts to make the fight have been going on for five years, but stumbling blocks like random drug testing and rival American TV networks have stopped it from happening. “Absolutely I would love to fight Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather told Showtime TV. “We are ready. Let’s make it happen. May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Let’s do it. “Years ago we had problems with random blood and urine testing. I just want to have an even playing field. “Now he’s in a very, very tight situation. He’s lost twice. Pay-per-view numbers are extremely low. He’s desperate. I wanted that fight a long time ago. I’m just waiting on them. “We have been trying to make this fight happen behind the scenes for years now, but the fans and the people have been fooled because they have been listening to people just on one side. Now it’s time for us to talk. We want the fight. “I offered you $40 million and you didn’t want to make the fight happen. Then you lost twice and now you’re coming back begging for the same money. That’s not going to happen. “Let’s make this fight for the people, for the fans. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao May 2, Cinco de Mayweather.”
