Amir Khan has agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao on April 9 in Las Vegas. PHOTO/Courtesy.
LAS VEGAS, November 4 – Amir Khan has reached a deal with Manny Pacquiao for the super-fight he has been craving since he entered his abortive negotiations with Floyd Mayweather two years ago.
Khan has agreed terms ‘in every last detail’ to meet Pacquiao in America in April.
Confirmation that Khan has accepted the contract has been sent by his lawyers to Pacquiao’s legendary promoter Bob Arum.
The proposed date and location for what Pacquiao insists will be his last fight before running for election as a senator in the Philippines is April 9 in Las Vegas.
Shah Khan, father and mentor of Bolton’s former two-division world champion, says: ‘Our paperwork went off to Arum on Friday and every point is covered.’
There has been speculation that the fight might take place in Dubai but Khan Snr says: ‘The location is definitely the US. The date in April may vary by a week or so but April is the month.’
Khan has long been thought to be the front runner against the likes of Terence Crawford and Tim Bradley but his father says: ‘Mr Arum has to guarantee millions to Manny and it is unlikely he can reach those numbers with either of the other candidates.’
Arum may well have preferred Crawford, a rising star in his own Top Rank stable, but Khan is bigger box office in America as well as around the world and brings UK pay-per-view television money to the table.
Having been thrice left at the alter by Mayweather, however, Team Khan are taking no chances. They have a plan B in place and Khan Snr says: ‘We have been here before, with Mayweather so While we are confident the contract will be back with us in the next few days we are holding the second Saturday in January as a fall back date for an alternative fight.’
Such a switch could well enable Khan to fight for the WBC world welterweight title which has just fallen vacant in light of the ‘definitely retired’ Mayweather’s elevation by that organisation to champion emeritus.
If the WBC decide to go for the next highest pair in their rankings then Khan, the No 1 contender, would be heading for an intriguing rematch with No 2 Danny Garcia, who knocked him out in their first meeting.
But in terms of a global attraction, Pacquiao is the big prize for Khan. They were sparring partners as well as friends when both were working in the Wild Card gym with master trainer Freddie Roach.
Although he has not fought since defeating Chris Algieri in May, Khan has been staying fit on his self-promotional travels around the world.
He has put in hard time in Dubai while exploring the possibility of a big fight there. He returns to Bolton on December 5 to work more closely with his team.
The timing of his departure for San Francisco to go into camp with current trainer Virgil Hunter will depend on whether he is fighting in January or in the big one he is now so close to landing against Pacquiao in April.
-by Daily Mail-
