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Khan boosts chances of Mayweather fight

Amir Khan secured a unanimous decision against Devon Alexander on Saturday © Getty Images

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Amir Khan has boosted his chances of securing a superfight against Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao by becoming a free agent.

Khan's emphatic unanimous decision victory against Devon Alexander in Las Vegas on Saturday was the last fight of his deal with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and American television network Showtime.

Having put in the best and most high-profile performance of his career, he will now be able to shop himself around to promoters for the biggest fights and the best deal.

Amir Khan says he has proved he is a force at welterweight © Getty Images

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Although Khan is likely to remain with Golden Boy, who helped him rebuild his career after devastating consecutive losses to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia in 2011 and 2012, his negotiating power has been significantly strengthened.

"I'm happy with Golden Boy, but I am a free agent now," Khan said. "That was the last fight of the Golden Boy deal. Oscar [the company's founder and president] believes he can get me the big fights, it's all about superfights now."

A potential roadblock for a blockbuster bout appeared on the eve of Khan's fight against Alexander when Mayweather called out Pacquiao to face him on May 2.

Khan, however, felt Mayweather was just playing mind games. "I didn't know he had said that about fighting Pacquiao until [a television executive] told me an hour before the fight. I was more focused on Alexander," the Bolton-born boxer said.

"Floyd just likes to mention names. We'll see. I'll just leave it to my team. I've had calls from Michael Koncz, who is Manny Pacquiao's business manager and he asked me if I would be interested in the Pacquiao fight.

"But I hope the fight with Mayweather and me does happen. He wanted me to prove myself and I think I've done that now. It has to happen now. Does Pacquiao want to fight him? I don't know. Is he [Pacquiao] going to do the drug testing? I don't know. I think Floyd Mayweather is just using it to get to me and get in my head. He's just trying to disrupt me."

A showdown against Kell Brook has remained a possibility. Brook claimed Khan does not deserve a fight with Mayweather, despite his recent win, and said he would be "jumping the queue" if he did not agree to face him first.

Brook's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has also revealed that he has reserved a June 13 date as well as a back-up August date at Wembley Stadium for a potential fight against Khan.

Khan, though, said "desperate" Hearn has jumped the gun, and accused him of disrespect.

"They've not spoken to me," Khan said. "Booking places without talking to me is a bit disrespectful, I think. Is that how desperate he is? It's like me booking Wembley Stadium and telling Floyd, 'Come on, you have to fight me now. I've booked the stadium.'

"I can't believe he [Brook] is rushing into this big fight with me. He's coming off a major injury and surely he would want an easy fight rather than me.

"It will be huge in the UK. I want that fight because, stylistically, if I fight the way I did [against Alexander], I would school Kell Brook. He is a great style for me.

"Kell Brook is a lot slower than Alexander. He reminds me of an orthodox Luis Collazo. We've not seen him hit on the chin properly, because he is a good defensive fighter and he never overcommits himself when he throws. If I can get to him with a good clean shot, can he cope with that power?

"But right now I am focusing on the really big fights. Fighting Kell Brook would be big in the UK but not in the US. Fighting Floyd will make me a global superstar. I don't want to miss my chance to fight Floyd or Manny, because, if I take the Kell Brook fight, they might retire before I get my chance, we don't know how long they will go on for. I want to get the ball rolling soon and find out what the plans are for next year."

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