In 2013 Amir Khan was the clear frontrunner to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. before Marcos Maidana upset Adrien Broner in December 2013, then got two cracks at "Money" in 2014.
Khan has kept on winning since then, including a unanimous decision victory over Chris Algieri this past Friday. Khan was hoping for a dominant win that would showcase his credentials for such a big fight, but instead got a rough bout where he needed to show his mettle just to escape.
Now, Khan could be in danger of losing out on a Mayweather date once again, this time to 41-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez. "If the conditions (for a Mayweather fight) are acceptable, of course I will do it," Marquez said.
Marquez can match, if not exceed, Khan in terms of name value, and he owns a precious knockout victory over Manny Pacquiao. Khan has no win on his resume as important as that. Marquez also has a lopsided loss to Mayweather on his resume from earlier on his career, while Khan has the advantage of being a fresh, new opponent.
Marquez has also made comments Mayweather may not appreciate about how he's given benefits because he always fights in Las Vegas.
"You know how things are done in Las Vegas. The officials there protect Mayweather. Do you know the way he can get beaten there? Only by KO. But how can you knock out an opponent who doesn't want to fight, who doesn't throw punches, who just hits you with a jab and although you may have won the round they still give it to him.
"It is a burden fighting him there."
His trainer Nacho Beristain also said that he would prefer Marquez fight IBF champion Kell Brook than Mayweather. "Mayweather is a more difficult opponent so I would prefer us to fight Brook," Beristain said.
Brook may not be interested though, as he's reportedly in talks to face Brandon Rios this fall.
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