• Light-welterweight

Khan reveals confrontation with Bradley

ESPN staff
November 29, 2011
Amir Khan is preparing to face Lamont Peterson next month © PA Photos
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WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion Amir Khan claims he issued a face-to-face challenge to Timothy Bradley - only to find himself ignored by the American.

Khan repeatedly expressed his desire to face WBO champion Bradley after beating Paul McCloskey in April, but saw his approaches rebuffed. Gary Shaw, Bradley's former promoter, says an offer of $1.4 million from Khan was spurned.

Bradley returned to the ring earlier this month following a ten-month period of inactivity, overcoming Joel Casamayor in his first bout under Top Rank Promotions. The day before that fight, which ended in an eighth-round TKO, Khan had some stern words for the 28-year-old.

"I saw him after his weigh-in and he walked past me," Khan told boxingscene.com. "He was walking towards me, but wouldn't look at me. He knew I was there and I said something like, 'When are you going to grow some balls, stand up and take the fight against me?' He just didn't look at me again. I mean, he must've heard me because the people behind him - I think it was his father or trainer - heard what I said.

"But at the end of the day he stayed quiet and just went ahead. I didn't want to make myself look stupid, because I really think I'm the bigger draw in the division. But I just wanted to make him realise and make him know I'm not scared."

Khan faces Lamont Peterson on December 10; at one point Bradley looked on course to meet Manny Pacquiao next year, but has now fallen behind Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather Jnr in the queue.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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