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Sky in danger of losing massive fights - Golden Boy

Zab Judah is next up for Amir Khan © Getty Images

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Golden Boy Promotions has warned Sky Sports it risks missing out on some of the sport's biggest fights if it continues its row with Amir Khan, with chief executive Richard Schaefer declaring "if anyone turns their back on Amir, they turn their back on Golden Boy".

Khan steps back into the ring against Zab Judah in Las Vegas on July 23; the Briton aiming to add the IBF light-welterweight title to his WBA crown. Although the bout will be shown in Britain, Sky have shunned the chance to screen it, with pay-per-view channel Primetime claiming the broadcasting rights.

These developments follow a dispute between Khan's team and Sky prior to his previous defence against Paul McCloskey in Manchester in April, which was taken off Sky Box Office after the broadcasting giant labelled the undercard as too weak. Consequently, Sky offered to show the event on Sky Sports 3 - a move which was declined by Khan Promotions. Khan, who was originally mooted to meet WBC and WBO champion Timothy Bradley next, said he hopes the disagreement can be resolved in the near future.

"I don't know if it's me of they don't enjoy my boxing style," he told the Times. "But when I was with Frank Warren, they showed my fights with [Dmitriy] Salita and [Oisin] Fagan, and they were no-bodies. There are some big, big fights down the line for me and hopefully they will come knocking on my door."

Schaefer, who plans to hold talks with Sky Sports chiefs next month, admits the broadcaster is running the risk of severing ties with Golden Boy and its fighters.

"We are a family," he said. "If anyone turns their back on Amir, they turn their back on Golden Boy. Mark my words, England will have the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world within the next 12 to 18 months."

Khan, meanwhile, has hit out at the way he is treated by US immigration when he travels to America to prepare for his fights. The Bolton-born pugilist, who is of Pakistani descent, says he has been subjected to rude treatment and lengthy security checks due to him being a Muslim.

After he was detained at LAX airport in Los Angeles for four hours on May 22, Khan wrote on his Twitter account: "Landed in LA safe, but the customs took the **** again because I'm Muslim. Kept me in some holding room for over two hours. They were so arrogant and unprofessional. Didn't know how to talk to people. Well I'm out now and it can't get any worse."

A frustrated Khan told the Daily Telegraph: "It does get annoying. The last thing you want when you step off a 12-hour transatlantic flight is to be kept for four hours in a holding area in the airport, being quizzed on what you are doing in America and why you have come there.

"They just tell me it is a routine check, and that those checks need to be made before I proceed. But I've got to get my lawyer to look into this because it now happens every time I go into America. I'll put up with it, because America is where I want to fight, and because I am so well received there by the fans. But this is very frustrating. Obviously, I understand what is going on, but this time the people there in customs even knew who I was, and that I was a boxer fighting in America."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.