SABIK na si Briton Amir Khan sa posibilidad na makaharap ang kanyang dating sparring partner na si WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao sa paniniwalang kaya niyang talunin ang Pinoy boxing icon.
Dapat na naglaban na sina Pacquiao at Khan noong Abril 2017 sa United Arab Emirates, ngunit sinabotahe ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum ang laban kaya hindi natuloy ang sagupaan.
Lumaban si Pacquiao kay Aussie Jeff Horn na umagaw sa kanyang WBO welterweight title sa kontrobersiyal na 12-round unanimous decision noong Hulyo 2, 2017 sa Brisbane, Australia.
Naniniwala ang strength at conditioning trainer ni Pacquiao na si dating Australian heavyweight contender Justin Fortune na magandang sumabak si Pacquiao kay Khan sa harap ng 100,000 boxing fans sa Wembley Arena sa London.
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“If I had my way, you know, Wembley Stadium 100,000 people, come on, it’s Pacquiao,” sabi ni Fortune sa Philboxing.com. “He (Pacquiao) brought 52,000 people in Brisbane, Australia, [in 2017], they’re for Pacquiao not for [Australian Jeff] Horn.
English are great boxing fans, and they love, love, love Manny.”
Dating sparring partner ni Pacquiao si Khan sa Wildcard Gym ni Hall of Fame trainer Fredie Roach kaya kabisado na nila ang estilo ng isa’t isa.
Makaraan ang dalawang taong hindi pagsabak sa ring, pinatulog ni Khan si Canadian super welterweight Phil Lo Greco sa 39 segundo at nakatakdang harapin si WBA NABA welterweight champion Samuel Vargas ng Colombia sa Setyembre 8 sa Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Kung impresibong magwawagi kay Vargas, nais harapin ni Khan si Pacquiao sa welterweight bout.
“All the time I say that I’m gonna fight this guy, but it never happens. To be honest I’m just gonna chill and take this fight one step at a time. If it’s Manny Pacquiao then it’s Manny Pacquiao. If not, there is a lot of other good fights out there,” sabi ni Khan sa TMZ Sports.
“Its one of the bigger money fights out there, but it all depends if Manny Pacquiao’s team says yes. Look, Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter. I’ve been around training with him for many years,” giit ni Khan. “But sometimes friends have to fight each other. I think it will be an explosive fight. I think it will be a great fight.”
“You just have to put friendship to the side. It’s business. I respect him. I think he’s a great guy,” dagdag ng Briton. “He’s done great things in the sport and you have to respect him for that. I respect him, but I know I can beat him.”
Gilbert Espeña
