Khan an option for Manny
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 21 Jan 2020
Former super WBA/IBF lightwelterweight champion Amir Khan is suddenly in the candidates’ list for super WBA welterweight champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent with interest from Middle East promoters stirring the pot to make an intriguing option for a title defense.
MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said the other day there’s still nothing definite in Pacquiao’s schedule. However, he noted the target is to stage Pacquiao’s next fight in April. Whether the fight will be in the US or the Middle East or somewhere else is up in the air. The opponent is also a question mark at this point with former two-time world champion Danny Garcia a leading contender. Garcia’s chances hinge on how he performs against Ukraine’s Ivan Redkach in Brooklyn this Saturday.
Believe it or not, MMA brawler Conor McGregor is now in the candidates’ list, too. Last Saturday, McGregor zoomed back into contention with a 40-second demolition of Donald Cerrone at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Shoulder strikes and a kick to the jaw set up Cerrone for the stoppage but McGregor also showed stunning power with his left hand. For his next fight, McGregor wants a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., whom he lost to by a stoppage in 2017, or a duel with Pacquiao.
Gibbons isn’t ruling out McGregor as an opponent for Pacquiao. Before McGregor’s win over Cerrone, Pacquiao wished him good luck in a video message. “We’ve put Conor’s name out there,” said Gibbons. “We teased it a little bit. If the fans want a McGregor fight with the Senator, why not? I think it’ll be an exciting and competitive fight. Conor was green when he fought Mayweather but in the early rounds, he did well. He learned a lot from that. That was just his first foray into boxing. There’s never been any doubt about Conor’s striking skills.”
Gibbons said he’s confident a Pacquiao-McGregor fight will bring in 60,000 fans to the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium which is set for a grand opening in August. He said fans prefer McGregor fighting Pacquiao than Mayweather in a rematch. “The Senator versus Conor is more interesting because there are lot of unknown things that play into the fight,” said Gibbons, quoted by Michael Woods in SBNation. “Mayweather been there, done that. McGregor doesn’t beat either one but the Senator brings a fresh look.”
While there is talk of McGregor as a future opponent, Khan has joined the sweepstakes. Last July, Khan stopped Australia’s Billy Dib in the fourth round to bag the WBC International welterweight crown in Jeddah. The win raised Khan’s record to 34-5, with 21 KOs. Khan, 33, was a silver medalist at the 2004 Olympics and is of Pakistani descent. As a pro, his losses were to Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, Garcia, Lamont Peterson and Breidis Prescott.
“Qatar will host the World Cup in 2022 and is clearly a player in promoting big international sporting events along with Saudi Arabia,” said Gibbons. “There’s interest in bringing the Senator to the Middle East for a fight. We’re exploring that possibility. We’re sorting out a lot of moving parts.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 18 JANUARY 2026: Nikita Tszyu-Michael Zerafa End in No Contest; Raul Curiel Outpoints Jordan Panthen
By Eric Armit, Mon, 19 Jan 2026Ryan Daye ready for WBC title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
Mon, 19 Jan 2026RAUL “EL CUGÁR” CURIEL CRUISES TO UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER JORDAN “THE PATRIOT” PANTHEN
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Weights from Philadelphia
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Mexico Commemorates 12th Death Anniversary of Don Jose Sulaiman (Photos)
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 17 Jan 2026MOLLY McCANN EYES 'HUGE' STATEMENT START TO 2026 AS SHE JOINS BUMPER WOOD-WARINGTON CARD IN NOTTINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 21
Sat, 17 Jan 2026NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
Fri, 16 Jan 2026SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 16 Jan 2026Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 15 Jan 2026Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Weights from Trenton, NJ
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
Thu, 15 Jan 2026