Amir Khan has revealed that there is one comeback fight he would find ‘hard to say no to.’
The British fan-favourite and two-time world champion called time on his career back in 2022 on a loss to Kell Brook, having previously been inactive for three years.
Talk in the boxing world is on comebacks just now due to Manny Pacquiao’s controversial return after his own retirement in 2021. The Filipino icon will face WBC Welterweight World Champion Mario Barrios in an attempt to break his own record as the sport’s oldest 147 pounds champion.
Speaking to IFL TV, Khan – who has sparred both men – revealed that Pacquiao’s comeback at 46-years-old has him thinking about what it would take to put a pause on retirement for one last fight.
“If Manny wins, does he come out and fight me? I don’t think he does … I would like it. To be honest with you, it would definitely give me that drive. Manny Pacquiao wants to fight you and you want to work and train hard. I know I wouldn’t make the mistakes I’ve made in my career. For example, being out years and going into a hard camp and then I’m injured and everything else. I think for the Kell Brook fight I had trained so hard maybe I overdid it.
“A Manny Pacquiao fight? Yeah. But nowadays I don’t know if that would be a real fight [or an exhibition]. Well, he [would be] a world champion so it’s a real fight isn’t it? I’m sure he’ll wanna have a real fight. I don’t know if I still want to do it. I’ve got a lot of things in my life outside of boxing … I don’t know if I really want to get back in the ring again, but I do miss it. Don’t get me wrong, I miss the sport so bad that I would want to come back, but nothing’s pulling me. If there was a deal on the table that was hard to say no to…”
Pacquiao’s team has said he would be interested in fighting the likes of Gervonta Davis and Conor Benn should he beat Barrios in July. That is no foregone conclusion, however, with many in the sport believing the younger man will be too much on the night.
As for Khan, he is currently focusing on the promotional side of the sport.
