Amir Khan, 37, in secret talks with Manny Pacquiao, 45, over fight and taunts rival for ‘looking s***’ in last bout
AMIR KHAN revealed he is secretly trying to arrange an exhibition with Manny Pacquiao – who he claimed ” looked s*** in his last fight”.
Khan was sent into a painful retirement in 2022 after losing his bitter grudge match against Kell Brook.
He has since served a two-year drugs ban for testing positive for a banned substance before the Brook loss.
But Khan, 37, maintained he did not knowingly take the prohibited substance.
Pacquiao, 45, retired in 2021 following defeat to Yordenis Ugas, 38, to focus on a presidential campaign in the Philippines.
But after that failed, the eight-division champion has talked up a comeback and has taken exhibition bouts to prepare.
His last was in Japan against 6ft kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo over three rounds which produced no winner.
Khan – who is also eyeing Floyd Mayweather – took a swipe at Pacquiao as the pair exchange messages behind the scenes.
He told Action Network: “Manny looked s*** in his last fight, really bad. Manny won’t want to fight me, and I like him.
“We speak on WhatsApp. They’re looking for a big pay cheque from Saudi, Qatar or Dubai but it’s going to be hard because obviously Saudi and Turki Alalshikh will never do an exhibition fight.
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“If it happens and I’m ever going to consider doing an exhibition, then it will have to be in the next 12 months otherwise I am done from the sport.
“I’m 90 per cent done from the sport anyways, I don’t have the love for boxing anymore.
“To motivate myself it would only have to be Manny or Floyd Mayweather.”
Mayweather, 47, is another who officially hung up the gloves but continues to box in exhibitions in retirement.
The unbeaten American has been called out by the likes of YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI, 31, who also wants to fight Khan.
But Khan said: “I don’t think I will unless a Floyd Mayweather fight was there. The only two fighters I would make a comeback for is Floyd or Manny Pacquiao.
“Other than that, no I’m not interested at all. I won’t fight KSI. The thing is I’ve done it at the highest level and don’t have the fire in my belly anymore.
“God has been kind, I’m financially strong, going into other things like property and am living half of my time in Dubai and the UK as well as going the States a lot. I’m keeping busy with lots of things.”