• Welterweight

Now is the perfect time to face Mayweather - Khan

Amir Khan fancies bringing a world title fight to Pakistan © PA Photos

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Amir Khan is keener than ever to agree a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jnr - possibly in Pakistan - despite losing his world titles in his last fight against Lamont Peterson.

Khan saw both his WBA and IBF light-welterweight belts stolen by Peterson after a controversial split-decision defeat at the start of December, a result he is currently appealing. The loss appeared to scupper tentative talk of a blockbuster welterweight fight against Mayweather in 2012, but Khan is now more willing than ever to arrange the clash.

Mayweather is preparing to begin a 90-day jail stint after being found guilty of domestic violence charges, and Khan believes the American's current troubles are there to be exploited in the ring.

"I hear Mayweather is in prison for 90 days. I think this is the best time to catch him," Khan told the BBC. "Maybe things happen for a reason - I've been set back three months [by the Peterson defeat] and now so has he.

"He's making a lot of mistakes now. He's doing a lot of things wrong in the streets as well. This is the best time to catch him while his hands are low - and beat him. I know I have the style and skills to beat him.

"I think it will affect anyone, going to prison and not being around your family and friends and the gym. It'll definitely affect him and like I said it's the best time to catch him."

Khan, who was speaking while on a visit to Pakistan, also revealed that he would love to bring a world title fight to the country of his parents.

"Muhammad Ali did it in so many different countries around the world. Why can't we do it in Pakistan?" he said. "That's what my ambition is, to bring a huge title fight to Pakistan. It can happen, there's so much support we have here. I've been here for two days and the accommodation has been brilliant, the hotels are safe, and I've had no problems at all."

Before that, however, Khan is determined to get a rematch with Peterson and avenge his harrowing defeat. But Peterson has warned Khan that his excuses for their last encounter are weak - and there will be no doubt about the outcome of a rematch.

"I want to clear everything up and even though I think I won a clear victory, I really think that I can knock Amir out," Peterson said. "As a promoter, you want to put these types of excuses in a fighter's head, like he didn't really lose, like he was robbed by the referee and the judges, to make it not feel like a loss. Amir should now accept the reality that he lost to me.

"I don't want any more disputes about it and the best way to do that is by winning by a knockout. And I think I can do it."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.