Amir picks M’weather vs Pacman

MANILA, Philippines - If and when Manny Pacquiao battles Floyd Mayweather Jr., welterweight contender Amir Khan picked the unbeaten American to win on points but declared himself available to fight either champion in case the much-awaited showdown falls through.

Khan used to spar with Pacquiao when he was trained by Freddie Roach and claims to know the Filipino inside out. The 2004 Olympic silver medalist from England also has something in common with Mayweather in that they share the same adviser Al Haymon. Given a choice, Khan has often said he would rather face Mayweather than Pacquiao. But after Pacquiao’s recent visit to London, there is talk that Khan may be the Filipino’s next opponent if Mayweather continues to resist. A source said May 30 could be the date for a Pacquiao-Khan duel, perhaps in London. Still, the priority is to stage the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout for the unified world welterweight championship in Las Vegas on May 2.

“I know the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has been one the world has been waiting to see but I wouldn’t feel guilty about me fighting one of them instead because I’m not the one who has prevented it from happening for the last five-six years,” wrote Khan in a guest column for Boxing News (Jan. 8, 2015). “As a boxer, you have to take your opportunities when they arrive and if I get one of them, then I’m going to step up to the challenge.”

Khan said in his view, Pacquiao has shown more slippage than Mayweather in terms of age even if the Filipino is 36 and the American turns 38 on Feb. 24. Pacquiao has logged 407 rounds in 64 fights since turning pro in 1995 while Mayweather has gone 363 rounds in 47 outings since his pro debut in 1996. Dating back to 2007, Mayweather has fought 10 bouts and Pacquiao, 16. In that period, Mayweather won eight on points, including two majority and one split while Pacquiao posted five KOs and won nine on points, including one split and one majority.

“I think Manny has aged a bit quicker than Floyd,” said Khan. “I think Floyd would be too smart. Pacquiao is quite open when he fights and it leaves him vulnerable to a lot of shots. Floyd would counter him and I think he would win on points. The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has been talked about for over five years and I think at this stage, Mayweather would win.”

Although Khan recently met up with Pacquiao, he pointed to Mayweather as his preferred opponent. “I want to test myself against the best and at the moment, that is Mayweather,” he said. “We’re both two big names in boxing so it’s a fight that makes sense. Commercially, there is interest there from the US and Europe but also in Asia, in places like Pakistan and India. And then you have places like the United Arab Emirates and Dubai where there is strong interest. I have consistently faced and beaten the best so a Mayweather fight is an obvious next step in my career. I have always wanted to face the best even as an amateur and that will be the same right up until I hang up the gloves.”

For his part, former world champion Nonito (The Filipino Flash) Donaire, Jr. declined to pick a winner. “It will be who can stamp his style on the fight before the other one can,” said Donaire quoted by Tris Dixon in Boxing News (Jan. 1, 2015). “You’re looking at Manny, the best offensive fighter out there with speed, power, angles, no rhythm and how he overwhelms people and you’ve got Mayweather who will look at your weaknesses and figure you out as time goes by. Of course, he has his defensive ability. Manny is my friend but I’d say it’s 50-50. These guys are the best at what they do. You can’t know what will happen. It could be a one-sided fight for all we know or Manny could take him out. The fight with (Ricky) Hatton and Manny, I thought it would be really close, 50-50, and he just landed one punch and it was done.”

Unbeaten WBA lightwelterweight champion Jessie Vargas, in the queue for a Pacquiao fight down the road, said this could be the year when Mayweather finally takes on the Filipino. “Everyone’s been craving the fight for years,” he said. “Currently, people seem more hopeful that it is going to happen than they have in quite some time although there’s nothing concrete yet.” Trainer Tony Sims said Mayweather is running out of credible opponents with two fights left in his lucrative $250 Million Showtime contract. “From what I’m hearing, I think it will happen,” he said. “I don’t think Mayweather has a lot more options except Amir Khan and he’s coming to the end of his Showtime deal.”  Former WBO lightweight title challenger Kevin Mitchell said Mayweather could take the risk of fighting Pacquiao because the Filipino may no longer be at his peak. “I think it’ll definitely happen in 2015 – the reason being that Mayweather has realized that Pacquiao is slowing down a bit now, I think he fancies the job because of that,” noted Mitchell.

It is widely speculated that Mayweather has avoided fighting Pacquiao because of the high risk of staining his unblemished record. Mayweather is only two wins away from duplicating the late Rocky Marciano’s perfect record of 49-0 when the Brockton Blockbuster retired as world heavyweight champion in 1956. The speculation gained credence when Mayweather handpicked Argentina’s Marcos Maidana as victim in his last two bouts.

If Mayweather dodges Pacquiao and fights Miguel Cotto instead on May 2, fans would be deprived of the match that could preserve the integrity of the fight game. “Resigned, jaded, unsurprised,” said boxing writer Danny Flexen in reacting to the possibility. “I’m way beyond disappointment about that clash now.” Another writer Paul Wheeler said, “Disheartened, as it’s a fight we’ve already seen and not one that the public are particularly clamoring for.”