• Amir Khan v Danny Garcia

Khan expects Garcia fight to be a unification bout

Amir Khan expects to have his belts back by the end of July © Getty Images

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Amir Khan expects to have his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles back by the end of July, whether they be handed to him by the governing bodies or earned through victory over Danny Garcia.

Khan's July 14 bout with Garcia was confirmed on Wednesday, following some hasty negotiations in the aftermath to the collapse of Khan's scheduled contest with Lamont Peterson.

Peterson, who took Khan's championship belts via a controversial decision in their first meeting, was forced out of the rematch due to a failed drugs test. It is now expected that his titles will either return to the Brit or become vacant.

Garcia currently holds the WBC crown, meaning Khan could be fighting for the label of undisputed light-welterweight world champion come July 14.

"I've got a very tough fight ahead of me. Danny Garcia is a strong fighter, a tricky fighter, he's won 23 with 14 knockouts," Khan told Sky Sports News.

"His last fight he won the WBC title, so we're going to have to see what the governing bodies do about the WBA and IBF titles.

"I've heard rumours that they will come back to me, or that they'll be vacant for the next fight. If they are going to be vacant, that fight becomes an undisputed unification fight.

"Hopefully I'll win that, clear the division and move up in weight."

Despite the recent delay to his plans caused by Peterson, Khan remains intent on moving into the welterweight division, where he can start targeting the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Indeed, Garcia may be his last fight at the current weight.

"147 [pounds] has the bigger names, you've got Floyd Mayweather, Victor Ortiz, Paulie Malignaggi. It'll be good for me to move to that category," he said.

"I want to become a two-weight world champion."

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