BoxRec

Amir Khan's goal for 2017 is to secure a big world title fight -- but what are his chances, and who will it be against?

Danny Garcia-Keith Thurman winner
The victor of the world welterweight title unification fight between American Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on March 4 now looks like being Khan's No. 1 target for 2017.

After talks broke down about fighting British rival Kell Brook, Khan says he has always preferred a rematch with Garcia.

"They're both big fights, both big-money fights, but the fight between me and Garcia is something that always hurts me," Khan told the Sunday Mirror.

"I think Garcia is a harder fight than Kell Brook and it's just that unfinished business I have with him."

Kell Brook
The two Britons will not be meeting in a ring this spring and you would not bet on them fighting later in the year either after discussions once again proved unsuccessful last month.

Khan says he is open to fighting Brook in the future, despite talks for a summer clash breaking down for the second successive year.

Khan wanted a 70-30 split in his favour but insists: "My guarantee to him was more then any purse he's ever made."

"We feel like the split should be 50-50 as Kell is world champion," said Brook's promoter Eddie Hearn.

"I don't think the fight is dead, but it probably is for May. I think 60-40 is too wide."

Timothy Bradley
The American is ranked at No. 2 behind Khan in the WBC rankings and is well known to boxing audiences in the U.S. and UK.

Bradley (33-2-1, 13 KOs), 33, has not been in action since a one-sided decision loss in his third meeting with Manny Pacquiao on April 9.

After Top Rank, who promote former two-weight world champion Bradley, and Khan's influential manager/adviser Al Haymon settled a $100 million lawsuit, the former's chairman Bob Arum said he and Haymon can do business together.

And that could mean Khan-Bradley later in 2017 if other big name opponents are not available for either of them.

Manny Pacquaio
The former sparring partners discussed fighting each other last year but nothing happened.

And there is only an outside chance they will get it on this year, which could be 38-year-old Pacquiao's last in boxing.

The Filipino legend will defend his WBO world welterweight title against Australia's Jeff Horn on April 23. If Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) wins, he is more likely to face Khan's British rival Brook in October.

Others in the mix

Americans Andre Berto (31-4, 24 KOs), Shawn Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) and Lamont Peterson (34-3-1, 17 KOs) are all on the Premier Boxing Champions roster and advised by Al Haymon, just like Khan.

Making a fight with one of those three is possible.

Berto, who was Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s last opponent in Sep 2015, and Porter, the former IBF title-holder, have been linked to fighting each other in April and the winner could get Khan.

Peterson, who holds a controversial points decision win over Khan at light-welterweight from 2011, challenges Russian David Avanesyan (22-1-1, 11 KOs) for the WBA 'regular' version of the world title in Cincinnati on Feb. 18. Peterson has not fought since October, 2015.

Peterson rematch would be decent if we can't get the Brook fight but I wouldn't be surprised if he fought Cotto tbh.

Stuarty30 wrote:Peterson rematch would be decent if we can't get the Brook fight but I wouldn't be surprised if he fought Cotto tbh.

I always wanted to see Khan vs. Bradley, it nearly happened, until Bradley chose to fight Pacman. Don't know if Bradley was avoiding Khan, but he knew he would earn much more against Pacman and rightly so took that fight.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

Stuarty30 wrote:Peterson rematch would be decent if we can't get the Brook fight but I wouldn't be surprised if he fought Cotto tbh.

I always wanted to see Khan vs. Bradley, it nearly happened, until Bradley chose to fight Pacman. Don't know if Bradley was avoiding Khan, but he knew he would earn much more against Pacman and rightly so took that fight.

Would be a fight I wouldn't mind seeing mate. Would be an entertaining one

ginty wrote:Does anyone care anymore?

No. He has no chance at the bigger weights due to glass chin

ginty wrote:Does anyone care anymore?

Yes.

ginty wrote:Does anyone care anymore?

Yes. His fights are usually entertaining and worth watching. Not too many have fallen into tedium.

He should fight Brook, but he is ducking him for the third year running for an easy fight in April.

I've always wanted to see the Bradley fight although its years since it should have happened, i always though that would be a great tear up.

He should definitely go with brook in a 60/40 fight. If that don't work then pacman is the dough, dough, dough fight! It'll fund all that online w@nking.

Well he has said he wants a tune up first so it will probably be someone like Bundu or Robert Guerrero.

I'd really like to see a few boxers agreeing to 67% for the winner, setting a precedent to make it clear when someone's just making noises thereafter. We've talked about it here, and I think it needs to happen for the good of the sport now. (50% in the event of a draw.)

ginty wrote:

dirk2686 wrote:

ginty wrote:Does anyone care anymore?

Yes. His fights are usually entertaining and worth watching. Not too many have fallen into tedium.

They used to be when he was with roach but not anymore under Hunter .

I think he can still be in entertaining fights as he has a clear vulnerability but i agree that who he fights doesn't really matter anymore. He's the B side that people are expected to beat. A bit like Martin Murray, he'll be a competitive fight for anyone but if you rate yourself as a top 10 fighter, you should be beating him convincingly.

Always hoped Khan would land a fight with Pac Man. Two very fast operators who I'm sure would entertain the punters.

I'd be nervous about putting Khan in a tuneup. In spite of the accumulating savage KOs he's still good for at least one more lucrative loss. Who knows what might go wrong in a routine fight? I'd be inclined to put him in right away with any big name willing to fight him. Given his extra curricular hobbies, he might need another big payday to finance a divorce.

Tuan_Jim wrote:I'd be nervous about putting Khan in a tuneup. In spite of the accumulating savage KOs he's still good for at least one more lucrative loss. Who knows what might go wrong in a routine fight? I'd be inclined to put him in right away with any big name willing to fight him. Given his extra curricular hobbies, he might need another big payday to finance a divorce.

He got past Algieri and Alexander. His 3 welterweight fights have not been bad at all. With Khan you're on the edge of your seat regardless of who he fights. Not all welterweights are big punchers, and Khan's defense has improved with Hunter.

Algieri and Alexander hardly ennoble Khan's current standing. The former has zero power and the latter is now racking up losses. And since then Khan has suffered his most violent splattering to date; who knows what damage has been done.

If I was on Khan's payroll right now I'd be hoping to cash out quickly.

Tuan_Jim wrote:Algieri and Alexander hardly ennoble Khan's current standing. The former has zero power and the latter is now racking up losses. And since then Khan has suffered his most violent splattering to date; who knows what damage has been done.

If I was on Khan's payroll right now I'd be hoping to cash out quickly.

Key words. Is now. Was a decent fight at the time, and Khan totally schooled him.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:Algieri and Alexander hardly ennoble Khan's current standing. The former has zero power and the latter is now racking up losses. And since then Khan has suffered his most violent splattering to date; who knows what damage has been done.

If I was on Khan's payroll right now I'd be hoping to cash out quickly.

Key words. Is now. Was a decent fight at the time, and Khan totally schooled him.

Oh I agree he beat him easy. Had he done it a year earlier, as he was first scheduled to, he would have taken Alexander's world title and probably have boxed Floyd Mayweather. Instead he ducked out and tried talk his way into a Money fight. Classic Khan blunder. Will haunt him.

I think Pacman v Khan could be a very interesting one at this stage of their careers. Would definitely be an entertaining fight, I would fancy the winner to win by KO.

I've always been intrigued with the Bradley fight as well - I would have Bradley a slight favorite, but Khan's speed could cause trouble to Tim.

But for me it has to be the Kell fight. I think it would possibly be the hardest fight out of the options for Khan, I think once Brook finds his range and starts to connect, it would only be a matter of time till he KO's Khan.

Tuan_Jim wrote:

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:Algieri and Alexander hardly ennoble Khan's current standing. The former has zero power and the latter is now racking up losses. And since then Khan has suffered his most violent splattering to date; who knows what damage has been done.

If I was on Khan's payroll right now I'd be hoping to cash out quickly.

Key words. Is now. Was a decent fight at the time, and Khan totally schooled him.

Oh I agree he beat him easy. Had he done it a year earlier, as he was first scheduled to, he would have taken Alexander's world title and probably have boxed Floyd Mayweather. Instead he ducked out and tried talk his way into a Money fight. Classic Khan blunder. Will haunt him.

Yup. The same title Kell Brook is holding now.