Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer has outlined the likely next few fights for WBA champion Amir Khan, a plan which starts with Juan Manuel Marquez and ends with Floyd Mayweather.
The question as to which British welterweight star would get the shot at Marquez has seemingly been answered, with Ricky Hatton wanting a tune up fight before he takes on an always dangerous champion like Marquez.
Supposing Hatton makes a successful comeback against whoever he ends up fighting, a showdown between him and Khan would be difficult for either man to turn down.
Given the passing of the torch sub story and the popularity this would generate in Britain, Golden Boy would probably not mind changing their plans for Khan if the money was right and they were sure he could win fairly easily.
After the Marquez fight, Zab Judah was mentioned as a next target for a next fight, which at this stage of the game should be easy pickings for Khan.
Perhaps most interestingly from Shaefer is the mentioning of a possible fight with Floyd Mayweather down the line. This tells us firstly that Mayweather will presumably still be fighting at that time and isn’t planning on another retirement for the foreseeable future.
The Shane Mosley fight is next on the table for Mayweather, and the contract apparently has a rematch clause at Floyd’s discretion, which he will probably only take if he loses. Mayweather isn’t overly active either, so after the Mosley fight he might well sit out until Khan is ready to fight him.
Secondly it also tells us that Golden Boy are coming up with contingency plans for Mayweather the same as Top Rank are with Pacquiao. Where Pacquiao will probably get Margarito, Mayweather may well get Khan.
Khan’s teammate and training partner Manny Pacquiao also has plans for Mayweather but given the difficulties the pair faced when negotiating a fight the last time around, this may or may not ever happen. If there are more difficulties in the future, it could be the case that Khan gets to Mayweather before Pacquiao.
Supposing Khan were to beat Mayweather (not likely, but indulge me here) would the pressure then be on Pacquiao to face his friend?
The pair have said in the past that they wouldn’t fight, but supposing events played out with Khan beating Mayweather, talk would undoubtedly turn to the pair facing off.
It would be another Top Rank-Golden Boy negotiation, which are never that easy, but Khan would probably be wasier to make a fight against than Mayweather for Pacquiao and team.
