• Boxing

Khan ready to meet Floyd's demands

ESPN staff
September 19, 2011
Floyd Mayweather Jnr knocked out Victor Ortiz in the fourth round on Saturday © Getty Images
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Amir Khan has confirmed he is willing to fight Jessie Vargas in order to secure himself a clash with Floyd Mayweather Jnr next year.

Mayweather has told Khan that their showdown can only happen if the Brit first overcomes Vargas, the unbeaten 22-year-old who Mayweather has taken under his wing.

Vargas scraped to a split-decision win over Josesito Lopez on the undercard of Mayweather's fight with Victor Ortiz on Saturday - a performance that left Khan unimpressed.

"In my eyes he got beat," Khan, the WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion, told boxingscene.com. "He didn't impress any of us. If Floyd Mayweather says that I have to beat him, I would be more than happy to move up to 147 [lbs - the welterweight division] and beat him, and then fight Floyd Mayweather."

Mayweather returned to action with a fourth-round knockout win over Ortiz and, although he triumphed in controversial circumstances - striking Ortiz when he was looking at the referee - most pundits agree the unbeaten legend was in total control from the first bell.

However, Khan believes he saw enough shaky moments to give him grounds for optimism. "Mayweather is good, but I saw a lot of mistakes and weaknesses that I've never seen before. Putting together [my] skills, power and [trainer] Freddie [Roach]'s brain will be too much for Floyd," Khan said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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