LAS VEGAS // Undefeated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr is making England’s Amir Khan and Argentina’s Marcos Maidana wait to learn which of them he will fight in May.
The WBC welterweight champion, 45-0 with 26 knockouts, has a scheduled May 3 bout in Las Vegas but has yet to identify who he will fight in what figures to be a rich payday for either rival.
Mayweather, who turns 37 on Monday, conducted a social-media poll earlier this month to see who fans wanted him to fight, and Khan won, but the US star has been silent since then.
WBA welterweight champion Maidana, 35-3 with 31 knockouts, released a statement Sunday on his Facebook page saying he had signed no deal to face Mayweather but hoped for news in the coming week.
“Considering that rumours have been circulating in the last few hours addressing a ‘done deal’ fight between WBA Welterweight champion Marcos Maidana and WBC champ Floyd Mayweather, we want to clarify that those versions are not accurate,” the posting said.
“Maidana is well aware that he is indeed a firm candidate to face Mayweather next May 3, but the fight is far from being made or confirmed as other fighters are still also in the mix. Hopefully we will have news in the next few days, but in the meantime we don’t want to confuse the fans or the boxing press. Maidana, of course, wants to unify titles with Mayweather, but for now we will have to wait.”
Khan, 28-3 with 19 knockouts, pulled out of a planned December title fight for the chance to take the ring with Mayweather, who has not fought since last April.
The Englishman, three years younger than Maidana at 27, tweeted his frustration at the delays over the weekend and said he will meet with promoter Golden Boy this week to decide what to do next as his patience wears thin.
“Only my follows and fans can push for the fight against Floyd Mayweather. We need to get tweeting him. Give the fans what they want,” Khan encouraged his Twitter followers Saturday.
“If it’s not Floyd, then whoever he fights, good luck. All this waiting around is not good for boxing fans and the fighters,” Khan tweeted.
“Left this with my team and Golden Boy promotions. Don’t want to disappoint fans and keep them waiting, and don’t want to keep myself waiting.
“Meeting Golden Boy Boxing next week to see what my next moves are. Sorry to keep you all waiting. What do you think ... Was the Floyd Mayweather poll a publicity stunt? We sure will find out soon.”
Mayweather will not be fighting Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao, the fighter most boxing fans wanted to see him face years ago.
Pacquiao is set to face Timothy Bradley on April 12 in a rematch of the American’s controversial 2012 split-decision victory over the Asian southpaw.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
