10-belt world champion Oscar De La Hoya believes that WBA and IBF light-welterweight title holder Amir Khan is right on the tail of the two pound for pound best fighters in the world and could, in time, overtake Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
The Golden Boy CEO is gearing up to see his star fighter make what could be his final defence of the 140lb belts he currently possesses and sees more accolades in the future for ?King? Khan when he moves up to welterweight in 2012.
?He?s definitely up there in pound-for-pound terms,? De La Hoya told The Daily Mirror.
?You can make that argument, absolutely. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are on top, but Amir Khan is right on their backs.
?With time, he can catch them. He?s a young fighter and he?s learning at a rapid pace. Over every single fight, we have seen him get better. He can become the best.
?What can I say about Amir Khan? He?s the best out there at 140lbs. He fought Marcos Maidana and everybody thought he would knock Amir out and show that he is not the best in the division. But Amir showed he has a tremendous chin and heart to prove he is the best at 140lbs.
The American then added: ?I remember him at the Athens Games when he made everybody so proud, especially in the UK.?
Khan, 24, faces home fighter Lamont Peterson in Washington this Saturday night before he attempts to further unify the division if he can entice WBO belt holder Timothy Bradley into the ring in early 2012.
If that fight fails to materialize, the Bolton fighter has a back-up plan against a top welterweight in the UK this coming March, which could possibly an all-domestic clash with Matthew Hatton.
