Boxing promoter Bob Arum believes that British boxer Amir Khan would make a better opponent for unbeaten American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his September 12 fight rather than Haitian boxer Andre Berto.
However, Khan may have the opportunity instead to face in the ring Filipino champ Manny Pacquiao. Arum is set to negotiate with Khan's camp in London this weekend, The Telegraph reports. Khan has been bypassed by Mayweather twice in favour of Argentinean boxer Marcos Maidana.
Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, said, "Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I'm not a hard guy to deal with. I'm not going to mess them around." He adds that the Mayweather-Berto fight is a farce because the retiring boxer should have chosen Khan for his last fight.
He assured Khan that unlike Mayweather, Pacquiao would not duck fighting the boxer from Bolton. But the fight, likely to be held in the Middle East, would not be in 2015. Arum said it would not be in Dubai, although Vegas is also an option.
The promoter said that Pacquiao is recovering well from his shoulder injury sustained while practicing for the boxer's bout against Mayweather and worsened during the "Fight of the Century." Arum adds that doctors who operated on Pacquiao are amazed as his swift recovery based on videos of the congressman in Japan promoting Philippine basketball. Pacquiao is also the playing coach of Kia Sorrento.
Arum says there are two groups in the Middle East that want to host the bout. The two would take Pacquiao against any decent boxer, but Arum says he prefers that boxer to be Khan.