Amir Khan Talks up Chance of Floyd Mayweather Fight as 'Better Than 50/50'
- Floyd Mayweather is lining up a farewell fight in September before retiring
- Amir Khan insists he could make bout despite commitment to Ramadan
- Khan faces Chris Algieri on May 30 but could fight again after Ramadan
By AP, 14 May 2015
Amir Khan insists a fight with undefeated world champion Floyd Mayweather has 'more than a 50 per cent chance' of happening later this year.
Khan first has to get past Chris Algieri on May 30 in New York but is already considering a career-defining fight against Mayweather.
The Money Man said after he beat Manny Pacquiao earlier this month that he will be back in the ring for one last fight and Khan is adamant that he can trouble the American.
Amir Khan posed with the belt which Floyd Mayweather would go on to win by beating Manny Pacquiao
'Yes there's a lot of talk of a September fight when Mayweather will be in the ring again and there have been people speaking to me saying ''you could be the next guy'',' Khan told BBC Radio 5 live.
Khan and Mayweather share the adviser Al Haymon but the Bolton fighter doesn't think that guarantees the bout will go ahead:
'He thinks it can happen. It's all about putting in good performances. I'm not going to chase it like I used to chase it, I'll keep on fighting, keep on ticking over and if it comes, it comes.'
Mayweather is regarded as one of the best boxers of all time with his 48-0 record, however it has been alleged that the 38-year-old is avoiding a fight with Khan, who believes he has the attributes to prevail.
'Well the way he is as a fighter, he fights whoever they put in front of him. So I respect him for that. He's fought Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, the big names in boxing and he's beaten them,' added Khan.
'So I think with my youth, explosiveness, speed, power and definitely movement - but it's not only that - I think it's all about timing and accuracy as well. I think that's where Pacquiao went wrong. He has all the skills but he didn't have the accuracy.'
Mayweather is now unbeaten in 48 fights after producing a boxing masterclass against his rival Pacquiao
Mayweather poses with his welterweight belts - the one he was awarded for this latest victory is worth $1m
Floyd Appears to Rubbish Manny Rematch Clearing Way for Khan
Asked whether he could cope with fighting Mayweather after Ramadan, Khan is sure he could adapt his training.
'I can work around it. I'm spending more time in the gym now, even in between training camps I'm in the gym. So I'm halfway there to be honest. I feel happy at this weight, I feel strong at this weight and I feel I can do the September fight if it happens,' Khan explained.
'It would be mid-September if it happens, so I think that gives me enough time to do my Ramadan, fasting and everything and then go into training camp to get nine or 10 weeks.'
Khan was ringside with his father for Mayweather's victory over Pacquiao in Las Vegas
With speculation rife, Khan is keen to concentrate on his fight in New York with Algieri but thinks the chances of the Mayweather fight is more than the rumoured 50/50:
'I think it could be better than that. Obviously my team have been very quiet. We've just told Al Haymon and his team that we don't want to talk about the Mayweather thing or whenever people ask us questions we keep quiet, saying we don't want to know, keep away from the Mayweather questions and focus on Chris Algieri. But I really think it can happen.'
Algieri, Khan's next opponent later this month, was defeated by Pacquiao in November last year