- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Keerthi Mohan
Manny Pacquiao’s publicist has denied claims that the boxer will be fighting Amir Khan in Saudi Arabia in November.
The British Pakistani boxer on Tuesday said he had signed a deal to fight Pacquiao on November 8, and the deal would happen even if the 40-year-old were to lose to American Keith Thurman in Las Vegas on Saturday.
“Signed off and done, to get Manny Pacquiao is amazing,” Khan told TalkSport at his gym in Bolton.
“To have him sign that dotted line is brilliant. No matter how he does against Thurman I still think it’s a big fight.”
Dismissing these claims, Pacquiao’s spokesperson Fred Sternberg told BBC Sport: “Manny has not signed any contract. As far as I know it hasn’t been even discussed.
“He’s been in training camp for the past eight weeks, four in the Philippines and four in the States, and he hasn’t met with Amir Khan during that time.”
He also said he did not know where Khan’s claims had come from.
Khan was slated to fight Pacquiao, one of the sport’s most decorated fighters, two years ago in the United Arab Emirates. But the bout did not happen as no agreement could be reached.
Asked about his personal equation with Pacquiao, Khan said they were friends. But the friendship will be put aside once they touch gloves.
“The respect is always there but it is a business and sometimes friends have to fight each other.
“Once you are in the ring you switch on, it is the same with Manny Pacquiao, we have to go in there and see who the best is. I can see the press conferences being very chilled and calm and not outspoken but let’s see what happens.”
Filipino legend Pacquiao has 61 wins, seven defeats and two draws in a 24-year professional career, while Khan has 34 wins and five defeats.
