Amir Khan has confirmed he will fight Manny Pacquiao next in Saudi Arabia – providing the Filipino overcomes Keith Thurman, with contracts already signed.
Khan overcame the overmatch Billy Dib in Jeddah last Friday in a tune-up fight, but now looks primed for the dream fight of his career and an enormous jump back up in levels, insisting terms are all agreed on both sides at a Bolton press conference today.
Pacquiao was a previous sparring partner of the Brit during their time in trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym.
But following Khan’s exit from the Los Angeles gym, fights against the Pacman and Floyd Mayweather have eluded him, but the 32-year-old has now announced the fight is on.
“The next fight is going to be back in Saudi Arabia again, Riyadh this time, it’s going to be November 8,” Khan told PA Sport. ”Hopefully it could be the Manny Pacquiao fight, we have both signed that the fight is done, hopefully he gets past his fight this weekend.
“If not there is a back-up plan, we wish Manny Pacquiao all the best this weekend.”
Pacquiao faces off against WBA super world welterweight champion Thurman in Las Vegas this weekend, a fight that is hotly-debated around the world and without a clear favourite.
“We want the Manny Pacquiao fight, let’s hope he comes to Saudi Arabia,” Khan said in the immediate aftermath of his fight with Dib.
“Hopefully we come back again at the end of the year and bring Manny Pacquiao here.
“I felt very comfortable in there. Obviously having a new trainer, Bones Adams.
“We had to work on a strategy, I slowed myself down a little bit instead of rushing all the time.
“I was seeing everything, making sure I was putting in the right shots, I felt very comfortable in there.”
Animosity has been brewing between Pacquiao and Thurman, with the Filipino cautious of searching for a knockout against the hard-hitting American.
“Knockouts will come but I’m not saying that I’m going to have a prediction with this fight. I don’t want to be careless in the fight,” he said.
“But if that chance is given to me, why not? I have to grab that possibility to knock him out.”
