Did Amir Khan Talk His Way Out Of A Floyd Mayweather Fight?

By ”Showtime” Stephen Lynch

Former world champion Amir Khan is back in the UK this week and is likely to announce his next opponent within days. The identity of Khan’s dance partner remains unclear, with names such as Luis Collazo, Adrien Broner, Kell Brook and Danny Garcia circulating recently. There are various permutations of where Khan goes next following his 11 month layoff since a forgettable points win over Julio Diaz and a frustrating period trying to get Floyd Mayweather into the ring.

“King Khan” suffered a setback when the P4P King chose Argentinean slugger Marcos Maidana, and has since claimed that Mayweather went for the path of least resistance and took “the easy route” in opting to fight Maidana. Perhaps it’s churlish to suggest this easier route involves fighting someone possessing an 88% knockout ratio and someone whose record at welterweight is knocking out three people in a row and taking Adrien Broner’s undefeated record. Although given the Bolton fighter’s recent inactivity, largely at the hands of Mayweather, such petulance is understandable.

Let’s explore a fringe but plausible theory of why Mayweather-Khan fell by the wayside – this being that at some point in the protracted negotiations – that Khan himself, or someone on his team crossed an invisible line and offended Floyd Mayweather. The Mayweather who moves whenever he wants, decides who to fight, when, how and wherever he pleases. The Floyd Mayweather who refuses to be put into a corner when it comes to the business end of the sport, and who has stubbornly, at times, refused outright to even entertain the thought of fighting Manny Pacquiao. The Floyd Mayweather who made Mexican superstars Saul Alvarez and Juan Manuel Marquez meet him at the catchweights he set for him. Woe betide the man who tries to dictate to, coax or frogmarch the sport’s most powerful fighter.

The cardinal sin Khan allegedly made was in December, when he made public to the British media the fact that he had already signed the contract – his side of the bargain if you will – to fight Mayweather on May 3. Prior to this Khan had been telling journalists the fight was “very close” to being finalised with an announcement potentially coming within a couple of weeks. Indeed Khan had pulled out of negotiations to fight then IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander in December, if it wasn’t already clear that the Englishman was closing in winning “Money” Mayweather’s sweepstakes.

When Maidana’s winning ticket came up in February, Matchroom Sports’ Eddie Hearn revealed he had made a $5 million offer to Khan to fight his own unbeaten Kell Brook this summer – most likely in an English football stadium. However, Hearn was more insightful in a Boxing News interview in January, saying he had heard that Mayweather “wasn’t too happy” about Khan publishing the contract – adding that he had a feeling the fight subsequently wouldn’t happen. Hearn would later be proven right.

As far as who Khan will fight, it is likely to be Luis Collazo, the recent conqueror of Victor Ortiz, former foe of Ricky Hatton and holder of a WBA International strap at welterweight. Sources close to Khan have indicated he turned down the opportunity of fighting Robert Guerrero, preferring Collazo out of both southpaws. Guerrero’s pursuit of a divorce from Golden Boy Promotions may be an equally disqualifying factor also. The Adrien Broner clash seems unlikely, a precarious fight for Golden Boy given the stage both are at in their careers. Broner seems likelier to fight John Molina or namesake Carlos Molina (the lightweight, former Khan opponent) – more likely than challenging IBF 140lb champion Lamont Peterson. A rematch with Danny Garcia may make sense post-Herrera but logistically it comes too soon for an ever-closer April/May return.

Kell Brook looms large on Khan’s perspective of the welterweight division also, given he is a mandatory to the winner of Shawn Porter’s intriguing defence against Paulie Malignaggi in April. But it is as a fellow British fighter and a “noisy neighbour” that Brook presents himself as a lucrative option to Khan. It’s a fight that plenty of fans, hardcore and casual, would get excited about. However Khan’s decision to not challenge Devon Alexander last year was perhaps partly a calculation that he would have been mandated to defend the belt against Kell Brook by this summer – as the winner of Porter-Malignaggi now has to. You get the impression Sheffield’s “Special One” is too keen to match-up with Khan at this stage when he has the entire division at his feet and that King Khan is far too aloof and dismissive of such a fight that would tick alot of boxes for him. Mayweather should be fighting again in September, a month that Khan hasn’t fought since his first loss to Breidis Prescott in 2008. Khan’s devout observation of Ramadan would surely now rule out a fight with Mayweather until May 2015 at the earliest.

Team Khan’s announcement will be welcomed this week as there were suggestions that Amir has sidestepped into some sort of semi-retirement or quasi-champion emeritus status that an exceptional fighter reaches near the end of their career, where they can pick and choose meticulously who they fight. The idea that Khan is now of that position where he can cerebrally choose only those fights that enhance his legacy or bank balance is one that is open to question, even ridicule. There is also the cynical suspicion that Khan’s promoters are withholding him from any meaningful challenge until they can bundle him into a lucrative fight to “cash out” on a declining career they’ve invested time and money into – maybe recouping some of the losses they’ve made with Victor Ortiz in recent years while they’re at it.

What is striking about the vast majority of names above (including Khan) is that they’re clients of the Gus Fring of the sport, Al Haymon, who is no doubt moving the pieces of the chess board to accommodate each of them – commensurate with their experience and status in boxing. It speaks volumes that firstly his name is mentioned often and almost always positively by fighters and secondly that he is rarely seen or heard from directly. Maybe even Haymon’s influence won’t extend to restoring the golden opportunity that Khan and his team had in their grasp for several months. Before Maidana’s shock win over Broner and before Khan’s premature briefing of the media he was the nailed-on frontrunner to win the sweepstakes. Next time he may well be more careful in his business dealings with the man who tells us that he is his own boss and answers to no-one.

http://www.v2journal.com/29/post/2014/03/did-amir-khan-talk-his-way-out-of-a-fight-with-mayweather.html

Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

Stylistically Maidana is an easier fight..........Mayweather hasn't got to worry about factors like speed and jab quality.......

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

Let’s explore a fringe but plausible theory of why Mayweather-Khan fell by the wayside – this being that at some point in the protracted negotiations – that Khan himself, or someone on his team crossed an invisible line and offended Floyd Mayweather

Nail hit on head. For all his great skill, Mayweather is as insecure a flouncey little tw@t as has ever walked the planet. Makes STRONGY look like he's made of stern stuff

"Oh, someone might have said something mean about me so I'll take umbridge and behave like a massive Mr Winklechops to disguise the fact that I'm an emotional weakling."

Get a grip lad, not everyone is going to like you and some will actively hate you (as you will have undoubtedly discovered) but behaving like a precocious little brat isn't going to endear you to anyone...not that you care, do you Floyd (but you clearly do cos you wouldn't behave like this if you didn't...ar$ehole)

Of course David Haye is a very secure non t**t......Because you like him..

I dont think Khan talked his way out of the fight. He was unfortunate Maidana sprung an upset at the wrong time and Mayweather figured he could make an even easier 30 mil. Im sure Khan will still be in the frame as long as he can manage to win his next fight.

Do me a favour, Mayweather makes Haye look like the most emotionally secure person on the planet however they could both do with realizing the world doesn't revolve around them...how could it? It revolves around me, doesn't it...whaddya mean it doesn't?

HTF would you know............

HTF would I know what? That the world doesn't revolve around me or that Mayweather is an insecure pr!ck?

People are saying that Maidana is an easier fight but I think Mayweather would have Khan out of there quicker then he would Maidana.

Khan was getting rocked to his boots against Diaz.

Mayweather has difficulty with Khan for three or four rounds then he gets to grips with his speed and negates his offence thus forcing Khan to stay in the pocket too long or abandon anything approaching a defence and eventually Mayweather explodes one on his chin and it's all over bar the shouting...8 rounds there or thereabouts

Maidana is there for the long haul but gets widely outclassed in a stinker

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:People are saying that Maidana is an easier fight but I think Mayweather would have Khan out of there quicker then he would Maidana.

Khan was getting rocked to his boots against Diaz.

Harder while it lasted...........Who's to say when Mayweather gets through with the shot !!.........Or If he does...

People don't factor in that Floyd is 37 !! .... and when you're knocking on speed is your biggest enemy........

Just ask Liston.........

I don't believe so. I think GBP put a LOT of stock in using social media to canvas opinion (see PPV sales).

Khan only got his name in the frame due to the number of Twitter followers he had -- once the fight had been floated to the public (to an overwhelming negative response) his goose was cooked.

They can sell the Maidana fight on a revenge theme I guess.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:People are saying that Maidana is an easier fight but I think Mayweather would have Khan out of there quicker then he would Maidana.

Khan was getting rocked to his boots against Diaz.

Harder while it lasted...........Who's to say when Mayweather gets through with the shot !!.........Or If he does...

People don't factor in that Floyd is 37 !! .... and when you're knocking on speed is your biggest enemy........

Just ask Liston.........

It's only a factor if Khan possesses the remaining requisite tools to finish the job and they include patience and the ability to remain calm and stick to a game plan.

I agree......But when you're studying opponents.......and you make 30 million a fight and you can choose between fast and predictable.......

Makes sense to go with the more manageable option.....

and good luck to him...........Because all the cry-babies will be watching..

Because deep down they know he's something very special....but can't bring themselves to admit it..

Most know he's good, but still think he's a complete twunt. It's only the completely deluded fools at opposite ends of the spectrum who fail to recognize his talent of his flaws as a person.

I agree.......

Hello im new - long term reader but thought i would get involved.

Personally think Mayweather has pulled a bit of a blinder here. The inevitable talk of him picking the easier option will lead to a bit of hype around Khan and his speed being the man the takes the 0.

This obviously isnt the case but it creates a much bigger fight in September than if he had fought Khan now, given how low his stock his. Khan just needs to keep his end of the bargain, knock over a low risk name like collazo. Khan gets a payday, Mayweather gets 2 high reward low risk fights in 2014.

So the more Khan is out of the limelight the bigger the fight will be ??.....

I think Khan has missed the boat......

Bradley beats Manny......Reckon he's next.......Bradley is very beatable.........Failing that JMM drills Alvarado.........

Big hispanic fan club ready for Mayweather-JMM 2..........

By the way welcome aboard......

I dont think he is out of the limelight. Obviously dont have a stateside view but Khan hasnt been out of the boxing news since the announcement.

Could easily be any of the names above, its all about who is the most marketable at the time. Think that if Khan can get a decent win in next couple of months, he becomes the man that mayweather avoided (I dont believe for a second he is, but can see how its a selling point), the new Manny without any of the risk. Just my crazy conspiracy theory.

People wont be happy whoever he fights as at the moment no one comes close to beating him

You don't really think If Khan beats Collazo......People will buy Mayweather's ducking a guy that was stopped by Danny Garcia and struggled with Petersen and Diaz do you Mate ??

Even If he was !!

I know I'm a dumb old Yank but I'm not that dumb.........

My brother doesn't rate Khan.... I do !.........But my brother seems to hold the popular view here and back home..

I dont buy it, but I didnt buy that Harrison, who had lost to the likes of Rogan had a chance against Haye. Appreciate that its a different scale but the principle is the same - if you can sell it to the mass it becomes marketable and if one person has masses of deluded fans (admittedly in unusual boxing markets) its Khan. Maybe Collazo isnt a good example but Maidana has lost to Khan, Kotelnik & Alexander but one good (and it was a good win) has propelled him to a big fight.

Sell it to the the uneducated mass & clever boxing fellas such as you may come along for the ride.

Truss wouldn't come along for rides like Haye/Harrison if there was free pu$$y on board

Neither would you...

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

If boxing is a business and not about the best athletes competing against each other it should be taken off sports forums and discussed on sites like linkedin or Forbes maybe. That's just a convenient excuse for fighters and fans to excuse themselves/their fighter from taking the risks.  If you want to watch great business success and profits you could always watch the stock market, Warren Buffet etc. Just being happy to see a once in a lifetime fighter in exhibition matches is like watching a Formula 1 car race around the track against touring cars and marvel at the superior F1 vehicle, makes no sense.

Since when was fighting Collazo low risk?

This is the same guy who some think could and should have got the nod over both Hatton and Berto, I agree with the latter but the knockdown cost him in the former. Mosley is the only man to have decisively beaten him and coming off a superb knockout win over Ortiz, he is very much a high risk fight for Khan.

Maybe low risk was under selling collazo a little but I don't see anything on his record that should worry Khan. I see Collazo as a very winnable fight and would have Khan as favourite.

The point I was trying to make is Khan needs decent win and collazo represents the most winnable in my opinion

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

If boxing is a business and not about the best athletes competing against each other it should be taken off sports forums and discussed on sites like linkedin or Forbes maybe. That's just a convenient excuse for fighters and fans to excuse themselves/their fighter from taking the risks.  If you want to watch great business success and profits you could always watch the stock market, Warren Buffet etc. Just being happy to see a once in a lifetime fighter in exhibition matches is like watching a Formula 1 car race around the track against touring cars and marvel at the superior F1 vehicle, makes no sense.

Boxing has always been a business first........It isn't like any other sport.......

I want to see the best fights never said I didn't..........But If you are in a position to get more for less risk It would be silly not to do it.....

You don't look through the list of opponents and say If I'm being ten million for a fight I'll pick him because he's the most likely to beat me...If you don't have to..........

You're very naive If you think that this is a new phenomenon.........Dempsey, Holmes, Johnson, Patterson..........

Boxing is a fighter's livelihood............You not think If there had been 4 different titles in the old days.......Most boxers wouldn't have milked the system...

Sorry to burst your bubble.......

I think giving Hatton and Berto serious trouble is more than enough to suggest he gives Khan something to worry about. He's an unconventional southpaw with decent power and a rock solid chin.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

If boxing is a business and not about the best athletes competing against each other it should be taken off sports forums and discussed on sites like linkedin or Forbes maybe. That's just a convenient excuse for fighters and fans to excuse themselves/their fighter from taking the risks.  If you want to watch great business success and profits you could always watch the stock market, Warren Buffet etc. Just being happy to see a once in a lifetime fighter in exhibition matches is like watching a Formula 1 car race around the track against touring cars and marvel at the superior F1 vehicle, makes no sense.

Boxing has always been a business first........It isn't like any other sport.......

I want to see the best fights never said I didn't..........But If you are in a position to get more for less risk It would be silly not to do it.....

You don't look through the list of opponents and say If I'm being ten million for a fight I'll pick him because he's the most likely to beat me...If you don't have to..........

You're very naive If you think that this is a new phenomenon.........Dempsey, Holmes, Johnson, Patterson..........

Boxing is a fighter's livelihood............You not think If there had been 4 different titles in the old days.......Most boxers wouldn't have milked the system...

Sorry to burst your bubble.......

I hear you on some of what you say, but bubble is still intact. Again if its great business you wish to spectate than there are far better ways of satisfying that desire.

The best don't have to pick the guy most likely to beat them but at least pick an opponent you are not just going to shut out for 12 rounds.

At this stage of Floyds career he's probably more entertaining for folks looking to watch an exhibition match or for text book boxing lessons.

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

If boxing is a business and not about the best athletes competing against each other it should be taken off sports forums and discussed on sites like linkedin or Forbes maybe. That's just a convenient excuse for fighters and fans to excuse themselves/their fighter from taking the risks.  If you want to watch great business success and profits you could always watch the stock market, Warren Buffet etc. Just being happy to see a once in a lifetime fighter in exhibition matches is like watching a Formula 1 car race around the track against touring cars and marvel at the superior F1 vehicle, makes no sense.

Boxing has always been a business first........It isn't like any other sport.......

I want to see the best fights never said I didn't..........But If you are in a position to get more for less risk It would be silly not to do it.....

You don't look through the list of opponents and say If I'm being ten million for a fight I'll pick him because he's the most likely to beat me...If you don't have to..........

You're very naive If you think that this is a new phenomenon.........Dempsey, Holmes, Johnson, Patterson..........

Boxing is a fighter's livelihood............You not think If there had been 4 different titles in the old days.......Most boxers wouldn't have milked the system...

Sorry to burst your bubble.......

I hear you on some of what you say, but bubble is still intact. Again if its great business you wish to spectate than there are far better ways of satisfying that desire.

The best don't have to pick the guy most likely to beat them but at least pick an opponent you are not just going to shut out for 12 rounds.

At this stage of Floyds career he's probably more entertaining for folks looking to watch an exhibition match or for text book boxing lessons.

Of course boxing has a strong business element, but I cannot believe that the notion of sporting achievement is somehow removed from boxers' opponent choices. At some point in any boxer's career you've got to believe that it's all about achievement and being 'champ', etc only for this to become more and more corrupted and mercenary somewhere down the line (if they get there). But, the whole 'boxing is a business, not a sport' thing is a pretty flippant statement. I see it being used more and more by fans who, bizarrely, want to protect the choices of certain fighters. It is not wrong by any means for us, as fans, to expect top boxers to challenge themselves in a sporting sense. I appreciate the whole 'being punched for money' thing is risky. But, if someone is so against the risk of an athlete being hurt, then they're probably watching the wrong sport. I know plenty of people who dislike boxing for this reason. I, for some reason, appreciate the 1 on 1 battle, and the risks involved, as one of the things that makes the sport great.

If khan gets KTFO against Collazo then where? Retirement? Let's hope so.

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

dangerous_mouse wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Khan talks too much for sure but I have no doubts that Maidana's win over Broner being fresh in the mind and the kind of fighter that Maidana is were the main factors involved..

If you're going to be paid millions of bucks everytime you fight why put the investment in jeopardy..

Boxing is a business and no one cares when you are gone apart from family and close friends..

Whole point of business is to maximise the profits whilst keeping risks to a minimum..

Sure I'd love to see Mayweather-Manny in the future but Arum makes that hard..

Guys who aren't sold on Mayweather will never be sold...........Those who are like me are just happy to see a once in a lifetime talent......

Hopefully I can be happy for a while yet..

If boxing is a business and not about the best athletes competing against each other it should be taken off sports forums and discussed on sites like linkedin or Forbes maybe. That's just a convenient excuse for fighters and fans to excuse themselves/their fighter from taking the risks.  If you want to watch great business success and profits you could always watch the stock market, Warren Buffet etc. Just being happy to see a once in a lifetime fighter in exhibition matches is like watching a Formula 1 car race around the track against touring cars and marvel at the superior F1 vehicle, makes no sense.

Boxing has always been a business first........It isn't like any other sport.......

I want to see the best fights never said I didn't..........But If you are in a position to get more for less risk It would be silly not to do it.....

You don't look through the list of opponents and say If I'm being ten million for a fight I'll pick him because he's the most likely to beat me...If you don't have to..........

You're very naive If you think that this is a new phenomenon.........Dempsey, Holmes, Johnson, Patterson..........

Boxing is a fighter's livelihood............You not think If there had been 4 different titles in the old days.......Most boxers wouldn't have milked the system...

Sorry to burst your bubble.......

I hear you on some of what you say, but bubble is still intact. Again if its great business you wish to spectate than there are far better ways of satisfying that desire.

The best don't have to pick the guy most likely to beat them but at least pick an opponent you are not just going to shut out for 12 rounds.

At this stage of Floyds career he's probably more entertaining for folks looking to watch an exhibition match or for text book boxing lessons.

You are falling into the trap of suggesting Maidana isn't worthy.............He beat Broner and he is a bonafide world champion...

Now all of a sudden he's a piece of crap involved in an exhibition fight because you want Mayweather to lose.......Just like Alvarez is a piece of crap now...

If a world champion isn't deserving of a big fight then who is......

I reckon GGG beats Andy Lee easy...............Moan about that..............Maidana has paid his dues more than Lee.........

You want Mayweather to lose......That's the real problem you have with this fight..

Said before It's not Mayweather's role to carry Boxing..............Don't watch !!...........The millions that will won't miss you..

To be fair Truss, I could probably find a world title belt in my loft.... They are that common and you seem to place an awful amount of importance on them.

In the last 5 years who's given two Poopie what belt is on the line?

Get your fat arse out of the 1980s and before yeah?!

#issues

Hashtag no idea who that was aimed at hashtag# #holdme