Khan: Pacquiao a ‘harder fight’ than Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines – British boxer Amir Khan believes he and Manny Pacquiao will still cross paths in the future.

Although Pacquiao is already booked to face Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 in Macau, Khan is not giving up on a future showdown with the Filipino icon.

“The Manny fight can still happen at some point,” Khan (23-3, with 19 KOs) said in an article by Donald McRae of The Guardian.

Khan and Pacquiao have a history together, having sparred against each other before and at one point shared the same trainer in Freddie Roach. It’s something Khan thinks will make a fight between them an interesting one.

“My promoters, Golden Boy, and Bob Arum [Pacquiao’s promoter] are about to start working together again. Me and Manny sparred a lot, and I often went with him to the Philippines, so it would make a great fight,” he said.

The former lightweight and light welterweight champion even envisions a bout with Pacquiao to be tougher than one against the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., another boxer he has set his sights on.

“Boxing is all about timing and Manny and Floyd are getting older. Someone has to take their place. Mayweather would be a very technical fight, like a game of chess. But I think Manny would be harder,” Khan explained.

“He’s much more aggressive and it would be more intense. But with my trainer Virgil Hunter I’m a much better and more defensive fighter,” he added.

Khan was supposed to fight Mayweather until the latter decided to take on Marcos Maidana, whom the pound-for-pound king will also face in a rematch this September.

The Bolton, England-based fighter wants either Pacquiao or Mayweather, but both stars are busy with their respective assignments for now.

The waiting game continues for Khan.