Amir Khan has claimed he has a “verbal agreement” to fight ex-training partner and former world champion Manny Pacquiao in Saudi Arabia on November 9, 2019.
Pacquiao is scheduled to defend his World Boxing Association welterweight crown against Keith Thurman next month in Las Vegas, and Khan, in Jeddah to promote his fight with Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat on July 12, believes a blockbuster showdown will come to fruition if both men are victorious their upcoming fights.
“End of this year, early next year, I want to make a big name world title challenge and there’s a strong possibility it could be here in Saudi Arabia against Pacquiao,” Khan said.
“Hopefully, Manny beats up Keith Thurman the week after my fight. Then we’ll see what happens.
“A fight between us would set-up boxing in the Middle East forever. It could lead to multiple championship fights taking place in the region. I intend to be at the forefront.”
The two had verbally agreed to a welterweight clash in 2017 before the deal fell flat.
Both fighters were trained under Freddie Roach at his Los Angeles gym and sparred there many times.
“I’m only interested in big fights and Pacquiao would definitely be a big fight,” said Khan, 32, who meets Goyat having lost to Terence Crawford at Madison Square Garden in April.
“There’s been lots of talk about me and Manny fighting for years, going back to when we were together under Freddie,” said the former unified light-welterweight champion.
“It’s a fight I’d love and now it looks like it will finally happen. I want to get back in the mix. That’s why I took this fight so soon after Crawford. Hopefully, he’ll win, I’ll win and we can make it happen after that. I know I haven’t got long left and I want to make the most of what’s left of my career.”