Khan still unlikely to get his shot at Mayweather next year…
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Despite Amir Khan continuing his campaign for a fight with Floyd Mayweather this past weekend, he is not the man the majority of boxing fans want to see in the ring with the unbeaten superstar in 2015.
Khan was hugely impressive in his win over Devon Alexander in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as not only did he showcase his speed, technical skills and ability to stick to a gameplan, but there were further signs that his work with trainer Virgil Hunter is paying dividends.
However, that performance would probably have done little to aid his bid to fight Mayweather next year, with Oscar De La Hoya conceding after the fight that he now sees why Floyd doesn’t want to face the Brit.
There is a legitimate argument to back the suggestion that Khan can become the first man to defeat Mayweather, but that is exactly why the 37-year-old will not take the fight. Mayweather will have watched Saturday’s bout and questioned whether he wants that test, and that is why he is pushing for a May 2 date with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather is still considered the king of the welterweight division and given his record and financial draw, he continues to call the shots and take whichever fight he wants. He has earned that right over the course of his career, and now that he has seen a decline in Pacquiao, he will want to take that fight.
The pair are considered the best “pound-for-pound” fighters of their generation and their bout is expected to be the biggest fight financially in the history of the sport. Not only would it finally satisfy the hardcore boxing fans who have been waiting for years for a conclusion to the rivalry, but it would bring in casual fans and make it a massive worldwide event.
Can Mayweather-Khan do the same? Khan has a strong fanbase but it wouldn’t reach the same level. As a result, it is time for the talking and calling out to stop and for the promotional companies to negotiate and make Mayweather-Pacquiao happen.
IBF champion Kell Brook praised Khan for his performance against Alexander on Saturday night, but he insisted that his domestic rival didn’t deserve a shot at Mayweather after just two fights in the division. Khan has the profile and fighting style that makes him a much bigger draw than Brook outside of England, but a fight between the two would be huge and promoter Eddie Hearn insists that it would fill Wembley Stadium next summer.
2015 is set to be a huge year for boxing around the world and ideally fans will finally be able to put to rest the debate over who would beat who in a scrap between two of the biggest names in the sport.
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