• Amir Khan v Floyd Mayweather

Khan-Mayweather reports premature

ESPN staff
November 13, 2013
Buncey's Boxing Podcast


The much-touted fight between Amir Khan and Floyd Mayweather is not a done deal, according to the American's advisor.

Reports coming out of the Khan camp in recent weeks suggest that the Englishman will take on the unbeaten welterweight in Las Vegas.

But speaking to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Mayweather's advisor, Leonard Ellerbe, says nothing has been signed yet.

"How many times have you heard rumours in this business about things being done and it's not even close to the case?" Ellerbe said. "It's the nature of the boxing business. I've heard Floyd is fighting Tim Bradley next. I heard a lot of things. We just sit back and laugh. It's hilarious.

"I don't know what we're doing next. Floyd Mayweather Jr is the topic of everyone's conversations. I've heard things from we're fighting Bernard Hopkins to Amir Khan. You hear a lot of things that people say and all you can do is sit back and laugh. But it's great to be in a position where everyone wants to fight the king. He represents the biggest payday for any fighter out there if their number gets called. I can't blame them for speculation or rumours.

"But we haven't had one conversation about any of that [about his next fight]. Floyd is relaxing and enjoying the time off. He is enjoying time with his family and marveling at the record-breaking year he has had."

Mayweather is a frontrunner for fighter of the year honours, having defended his welterweight crown in May with a near-shutout of Robert Guerrero in the first fight of his mega deal with Showtime/CBS. In September, he returned to easily outpoint Canelo Alvarez in a light-middleweight unification fight that generated 2.2 million pay-per-view buys - second highest of all time - and set numerous other records, including the all-time pay-per-view revenue mark of $150m.

"Floyd is not even thinking about who he is fighting next," Ellerbe said. "He's relaxing. He has had a record-breaking year where he made a shitload of money and had two phenomenal performances.

"Everyone knows when it's time to go out and do something they know who it will come from. Floyd determines how, when, where and what he is doing. He is calling all the shots. So until you hear it from Floyd it is what it is - rumours. We're not even thinking about what's next. We ain't working on nothing."

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