Floyd Mayweather appears to have rejected Amir Khan as his next opponent for a megafight in Las Vegas in May. In a series of tweets on Friday night, Khan sent out the clear message that Mayweather has chosen instead to take on the challenge of the Argentinian Marcos Maidana, whom Khan defeated on points in 2010, but who beat the rising Adrien Broner last December.
https://twitter.com/AmirKingKhan/status/436999252493885440
https://twitter.com/AmirKingKhan/status/436999605956263936
https://twitter.com/AmirKingKhan/status/436999808939610112
Khan, who had been in full training for the fight in anticipation that he was the favored contender, added this:
https://twitter.com/AmirKingKhan/status/437001611643088896
“Floyd is not the same fighter as he was three or four years ago. That’s why he picks slow fighters, because he doesn’t have the same movement as he used to.”
Mayweather has yet to announce the name of his next opponent officially. He has four fights left in a six-fight deal with Showtime that probably will earn him $600 million.
Controversy surrounded the choice of his next opponent when Mayweather threw the option open to social media. Some votes had Maidana well ahead; others had Khan the favorite.
Khan thinks Mayweather hand picks his opponents, and he might be right. But when you're coming to the end of the line of an illustrious career such as Mayweather's, you almost have the right to do that.
It doesn't make it right because it deprives the sport of boxing of the best match-ups possible.
