No Pacquiao Fight for Amir Khan

By Olly Campbell - 10/13/2015 - Comments

It has emerged that Britain’s Amir Khan will not be facing Manny Pacquiao in a fight early next year, as was previously mooted, and has been forced to concede that he is looking at other options, including former foe, Danny Garcia.

It was widely believed the two camps were in advanced negotiations, with Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum conceding as much, before doing a very public about-turn and insisting Argentine puncher Lucas Matthysse had moved up the pecking order to face Pacquiao instead.

Of course, Matthysse was then beaten by Viktor Postol, ostensibly ruling him out of a fight with the Filipino star, although after recent comments from Pacquiao that gave the strongest indication yet that he is about to retire, Khan has been forced into admitting his fight plan has gone down the toilet.

“I’m really disappointed in Manny and his team,” Khan told the National. “They aren’t playing ball. All that was left to do is to sign the contract. But they are stalling.

“I have pulled out of the negotiations. I am no longer fighting Manny Pacquiao.”

After making what amounted to a public fool of himself, chasing a Floyd Mayweather fight for the better part of 2 1/2 years, Khan is insistent he won’t be making the same mistake again and is ready to move on without Pacquiao.

“I am not going to wait around for Manny like I did for Mayweather,” he added. “I need to fight and if they don’t want to fight then that’s fine, I have other targets.

“I already had a back-up plan drawn up in case the Pacquiao fight didn’t go to plan. We are looking at a Danny Garcia rematch. I also would like to fight Tim Bradley; that’s another interesting fight.”

“I am willing to fight anyone, but it seems not everyone is willing to fight me,” he added before conceding seemingly as an afterthought, that bitter British rival Kell Brook is an option, along with former foe Lamont Peterson, who beat Khan in 2011 amidst the “man in the hat” judging controversy.

IBF champion Brook and promoter Eddie Hearn remain desperate to coax Khan into a huge money all-UK PPV showdown, however the Bolton man continues to resist, claiming Brook must fight ‘bigger names’ first.

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