Despite training alongside one another for the past few years at the Wild Card Boxing Club and abroad, the possibility of champions Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao meeting in the ring someday seemed like a stretch. After all, Khan, the WBA junior welterweight champion of the world, and Pacquiao, the owner of the WBO?s welterweight strap, are good friends and Amir has stated repeatedly that he would never consider meeting up with Manny inside of the squared circle.
But as the two men prepare for their final bouts of 2011, Khan facing off with worthy Lamont Peterson on December 10th and Pacquiao eyeing a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th, there seems to be a bit of tension in the air. The camaraderie between the two men appears to have wavered a bit as the British star points to some odd actions coming from those around Pacquiao.
?His camp don?t want me sparring with him and now we train at different times,? Khan said in a recent piece by Liam Chronnell at The Bolton News. ?It?s like they?re keeping us apart. We still see each other when one comes and the other goes, and have a quick chat, but it?s not how it used to be. It?s like his people are thinking there could be a fight between us.?
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Khan has said repeatedly that his upcoming defense against Peterson will be his last at 140 pounds and he seems to have the frame, power, and skills to handle himself well in the welterweight class. And although it is a fight with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. that entices Khan the most, he isn?t completely ruling out an eventual fight with his good friend at this point.
?Manny?s never been on my radar. We?re good friends and I?d never want to put Freddie and Alex [Ariza] in that position. I would prefer to fight Mayweather but so many fights happened nowadays you just never know.?
