• Boxing

Khan backtracks on Mayweather boast

ESPN staff
October 8, 2011
Amir Khan is expected to move into the welterweight division next year © PA Photos
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WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion Amir Khan has performed a U-turn on his claim that Floyd Mayweather Jnr has verbally agreed to fight him in the future.

On Tuesday, Khan told Sky Sports News that "talks have already taken place and Mayweather has agreed to fight me", apparently ending months of speculation over whether the pair would clash once the Brit moves up a weight division.

However, it seems that Khan's revelation may have been premature. "Floyd Mayweather never said yes. He never said yes. I don't think he wants to talk about boxing," Khan told boxingscene.com.

Khan is due to fight Lamont Peterson in December in what is likely to be his light-welterweight swansong, before he goes in search of more lucrative bouts at 147lbs, the home of Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

His first battle at welterweight could be against Kell Brook, the unbeaten Sheffield fighter who takes on Rafal Jackiewicz on Saturday - but Khan doubts whether Brook actually wants to face him.

"If I do fight Kell next year, it won't be a problem," Khan told the Daily Star. "I knocked him about in sparring and if we did fight that would happen again. There has been a lot of talk - but when the pen is over the paper, these people never take up the fight."

Matthew Hatton is another possibility for Khan early next year, while he still has hopes of coaxing WBO light-welterweight king Timothy Bradley into the ring at some stage.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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