Will it be Khan?

The word is out that if Floyd Mayweather doesn’t step up to the plate, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao may face former WBA/IBF superlightweight titlist Amir Khan next with a possible appointment on May 30. Pacquiao and Khan go back a long way when Freddie Roach used to train both fighters turn by turn. Khan would even come to the Philippines and work out in Pacquiao’s camp with Roach.

Khan, 28, has no loyalty to trainers who are in his good graces only when he’s winning. Since turning pro in 1995, Khan has gone from Oliver Harrison to Jorge Rubio to Roach and now, to Virgil Hunter. Along the way, he tried out Dean Powell and even Roger Mayweather. Khan left Roach to look for a trainer who could make him a priority. Obviously, Pacquiao is Roach’s priority. Luckily, Khan found Hunter who has been in his corner the last four fights, all wins.

Khan was only eight when Pacquiao made his pro debut in 1995. Khan turned pro 10 years later and now has a 30-3 record, with 19 KOs. His inability to take a punch is a huge disadvantage. Khan has been decked by Michael Gomez, Willie Limond, Breidis Prescott twice (in losing by knockout in only 55 seconds) and Danny Garcia thrice. Prescott displayed Khan’s vulnerability to the left hook which happens to be Pacquiao’s deadliest blow.

Will Khan be able to withstand the impact of Pacquiao’s punches? If Khan couldn’t stand up to the power of Prescott and Garcia, it’s doubtful that he can take Pacquiao’s best shot without going down.

What makes Khan a dangerous customer is his experience against southpaws. He’s never lost to a lefthander. Among his southpaw victims were Paul McCloskey (unbeaten in 22 bouts before facing Khan), Zab Judah (stopped in five), Luis Collazo (floored thrice) and Devon Alexander (thoroughly thrashed). That experience will come in handy if and when Khan takes on Pacquiao.

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Marco Antonio Barrera is the only common opponent of Khan and Pacquiao. The Mexican lost twice to Pacquiao, the first on a knockout and the second on a unanimous decision. Khan beat Barrera on a technical verdict as the fight was halted in the fifth round due to a cut on the left side high on the Mexican’s forehead. Barrera’s face was a bloody mask when the bout was discontinued. While Khan masterfully outfought Barrera, it was clear that the Mexican legend was way over the hill so the victory was hardly a measure of the Englishman’s true value.

Roach’s chief assistant Marvin Somodio said Khan would be an easier opponent for Pacquiao than Mayweather because the 2004 Olympic silver medalist likes to engage and doesn’t back down from a toe-to-toe brawl. A standing target is what a slugger like Pacquiao dreams of.

Khan said “he’s had fun against southpaws” and a Pacquiao fight would be something to look forward to. “Imagine bringing the Pacquiao fight to the UK,” he told Tris Dixon in Boxing News. “I think that would be huge. I think that would sell any arena in the world. Pacquiao’s a great fighter but that’s a good fight for me. We trained together before and we know each other quite well but I’ve improved as a fighter whereas Pacquiao has probably just stayed there. He’s still a good fighter but he hasn’t improved much.”

Khan has surrounded himself with what he considers to be a winning team. Hunter is his trainer. Tony Brady is his strength and conditioning coach. Al Haymon, who works with Mayweather and over 150 other fighters, is his adviser and manager. Oscar de la Hoya is his promoter. Khan trains with Hunter at the King’s Boxing Gym in Oakland where he works out six hours a day, six days a week.

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De la Hoya said Khan is ready for either Mayweather or Pacquiao. “It really rubs me the wrong way that Amir has been promised fighting the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao and it hasn’t happened yet,” said the Golden Boy, quoted by Dixon. “We’re going to try to get Amir with either Pacquiao or Mayweather because that’s what he deserves. We strongly feel that fighting in the welterweight division, Amir is a force to be reckoned with. He is a threat to everyone in the welterweight division. I am pushing for a Pacquiao fight. I do want to push for a Mayweather fight because Amir deserves those type of fights.”

A devout Muslim, Khan met his American wife Faryal Makhdoom, then a political science student, in New York and they became engaged in 2012. They were married the next year at Waldorf-Astoria Hotel then hosted another wedding ceremony before some 4,000 guests in Khan’s English hometown of Bolton. Last May, Faryal gave birth to a daughter Lamysa.

“I want to work hard in my career and then I want my family to have an easy life,” said Khan who is of Pakistani descent. “Everything I do now is for my little girl Lamysa. I want her to have a comfortable life, not a life where she’s spoiled, just a comfortable life – and to do that, I have to work hard and not cheat myself.” When Khan outpointed Alexander in Las Vegas last December, he dedicated the win to his daughter.

Khan would be an intriguing opponent for Pacquiao since they used to be sparmates. But the fight that fans all over the world want is Pacquiao against Mayweather. “Pacquiao-Mayweather could break the 2.4 million (pay per view) mark set by Floyd’s fight with Saul Alvarez,” said Dixon. “It could even trouble an unheard-of 3 million buys in the USA alone.” Dixon’s right. It’s the fight that will save and preserve the integrity of professional boxing. Mayweather owes it not just to the fans but to himself to fight Pacquiao. The Money Man calls himself The Best Ever but that’s just talk. He’s got to prove it in the ring against Pacquiao.