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After being bypassed a couple of times already, Amir Khan is stepping up his chase of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Closing the year with a big fight
According to Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya, Khan’s next opponent will be Robert “Ghost” Guerrero. Although no formal announcement for the bout has been made, a tentative date of December 6th has been set. De La Hoya also hinted that the fight will be held at the Barclays Center in New York, saying that the “fans at the Barclays Center are amazing” and that he believes that they “can close the year with a big fight” at the Barclays Center.
Barclays Center was also the targeted venue of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s December 6 fight but Alvarez pulled out of that event citing an injury.
Step up in opposition
Fighting Robert Guerrero is a step up in opposition for Khan who earlier considered fighting Devon Alexander or Josesito in a stay busy fight while waiting for Mayweather’s word on his May 2015 opponent. Khan is hoping that Mayweather will finally choose him after getting bypassed in favor of Argentine Marcos Maidana twice this year.
Khan believes that fighting and beating Guerrero soundly in front of the American audience will pressure Mayweather into finally agreeing to fight him after more than a year of calling out the world’s number one Pound for Pound fighter. Mayweather fought and beat Guerrero via unanimous decision last year.
Guerrero rebounded from the Mayweather loss by defeating Japanese contender Yoshihiro Kamegai by unanimous decision last June. On the other hand, Khan is coming off an impressive 12 round win over former WBA Welterweight champion Luis Collazo last May. Prior to that, Khan lost two straight bouts to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia then came up with lackluster wins over Carlos Molina and Julio Diaz.
Money has last say
But even if Khan disposes of Guerrero in spectacular fashion, the final say on Mayweather’s last two bouts is still Mayweather himself. Last week, the 36-year old Mayweather told fighthype.com that Khan “still got Danny Garcia problems just as Pacquaio has Marquez problems.” Floyd Jr. was obviously referring to Khan’s 4th round TKO loss to light welterweight kingpin Danny Garcia in 2012.
But a rematch between Khan and Garcia is unlikely as Garcia is reportedly eyeing a unification with IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson next. ESPN also reported last week that Viktor Postol, Garcia’s mandatory challenger for his WBC light welterweight belt, has agreed to step aside for a bonus so that Garcia can take a fight (presumably Peterson) before him.
Mayweather added that “a lot of crazy thoughts “go through his mind every day. Boxing’s moneyman also said that he couldn’t “care less what Amir Khan says” and that he will fight as he “pleases.” However, that line of thinking could potentially change if Khan impresses with a big win over a big name like Guerrero.
