Amir Khan considering boxing return after serious offer from 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao
Amir Khan has revealed he would make a boxing return to fight Manny Pacquiao if the offer was there. Khan hung up his gloves three years ago after suffering a defeat to bitter rival Kell Brook. Khan called it a career after losing to Kell Brook in February 2024Lawrence Lustig/BOXXER But the British boxing legend has continued to tease the idea of a comeback fight in the crossover industry. Reports suggested that Khan would take on YouTuber-turned-boxers Slim Albaher and KSI, yet neither of those fights came to fruition. Khan joined Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on talkSPORT’s Drive on Thursday to discuss his thoughts on a potential return. The 38-year-old teased his return through an April Fool’s trick at the beginning of this month, but the joke has since turned into something a little more serious that has left Khan’s hands ‘itching.’ “Manny [Pacquiao] got in touch with me,” Khan said, describing the aftermath of his comments on April Fool’s Day. “Manny was like, ‘Shall we do a fight?’ Like, he’s quite serious about it. “He was like, ‘Shall we make a fight happen?’ I go, ‘Listen, if you can get a funder, if you can get someone like a Turki Alalshikh on board, then why not?'” Saudi boxing chief Alalshikh is of the biggest influences in the sport right now, having put on both of Tyson Fury‘s fights with Oleksandr Usyk, and most recently Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn. “Look, we’ve had our best days,” Khan added. “And I think a fight like that would definitely sell. “Manny has a massive Philippine fan base, and all around the world really. Khan said a fight with Pacquiao would be good for the fans and sell wellGetty ‘King Khan’ won gold at the Junior Olympic Games followed by silver a year later at Athens 2004Getty Amir Khan vs Manny Pacquiao Head-to-head Khan Age: 38 Nationality: United Kingdom Nickname: ‘King Khan’ Bouts: 40 Record: 34-6 Career: 2005-2022 Pacquiao Age: 46 Nationality: Philippines Nickname: ‘Pac Man’ Bouts: 72 Record: 62-8-2 Career: 1995-2021 “Obviously, myself, I’ve got a decent fanbase as well so it would definitely sell… “Me and Manny are in the same position: we’ve both been retired for three or four years, I think it could make for a good fight.” Khan was then asked whether he would take the fight if Alalshikh was listening and put the money on the table. “Definitely, I would… I’m getting itchy hands again,” he responded. Bolton’s Khan, who retired with a 34-6 pro record, became Great Britain’s third-youngest world champion when he won his first title at the age of 22. At 17, he was also the youngest British Olympic boxing medallist in history, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece. Pacquiao’s fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2015 was the largest grossing PPV event in combat sports historyStephanie Trapp/Mayweather It generated around $500mEsther Lin/SHOWTIME Pacquiao, meanwhile, is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. The 46-year-old is an eight-division world champion, and the first boxer in the sport’s history to win 10 world titles in eight different weight divisions. He has competed in a few exhibition bouts since retiring from the his in-ring duties in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugas. The following year, he beat an MMA fighter on points in a dominant victory, but he looked a shadow of his former self in his most recent outing in July 2024. The fight was a non-scoring bout so it ended in an automatic draw, however Pacquiao’s performance left a lot to be desired, prompting fans to call for his retirement. Khan also revealed last November that an undisclosed country had offered him a lump sum to stage a fight between the pair. He told talkSPORT that he is only a one hour flight away from Saudi Arabia, where all the biggest boxing fights are currently taking place.
Amir Khan has revealed he would make a boxing return to fight Manny Pacquiao if the offer was there.
Khan hung up his gloves three years ago after suffering a defeat to bitter rival Kell Brook.
But the British boxing legend has continued to tease the idea of a comeback fight in the crossover industry.
Reports suggested that Khan would take on YouTuber-turned-boxers Slim Albaher and KSI, yet neither of those fights came to fruition.
Khan joined Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on talkSPORT’s Drive on Thursday to discuss his thoughts on a potential return.
The 38-year-old teased his return through an April Fool’s trick at the beginning of this month, but the joke has since turned into something a little more serious that has left Khan’s hands ‘itching.’
“Manny [Pacquiao] got in touch with me,” Khan said, describing the aftermath of his comments on April Fool’s Day.
“Manny was like, ‘Shall we do a fight?’ Like, he’s quite serious about it.
“He was like, ‘Shall we make a fight happen?’ I go, ‘Listen, if you can get a funder, if you can get someone like a Turki Alalshikh on board, then why not?'”
Saudi boxing chief Alalshikh is of the biggest influences in the sport right now, having put on both of Tyson Fury‘s fights with Oleksandr Usyk, and most recently Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn.
“Look, we’ve had our best days,” Khan added. “And I think a fight like that would definitely sell.
“Manny has a massive Philippine fan base, and all around the world really.
Amir Khan vs Manny Pacquiao
Head-to-head
Khan
- Age: 38
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Nickname: ‘King Khan’
- Bouts: 40
- Record: 34-6
- Career: 2005-2022
Pacquiao
- Age: 46
- Nationality: Philippines
- Nickname: ‘Pac Man’
- Bouts: 72
- Record: 62-8-2
- Career: 1995-2021
“Obviously, myself, I’ve got a decent fanbase as well so it would definitely sell…
“Me and Manny are in the same position: we’ve both been retired for three or four years, I think it could make for a good fight.”
Khan was then asked whether he would take the fight if Alalshikh was listening and put the money on the table.
“Definitely, I would… I’m getting itchy hands again,” he responded.
Bolton’s Khan, who retired with a 34-6 pro record, became Great Britain’s third-youngest world champion when he won his first title at the age of 22.
At 17, he was also the youngest British Olympic boxing medallist in history, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
The 46-year-old is an eight-division world champion, and the first boxer in the sport’s history to win 10 world titles in eight different weight divisions.
He has competed in a few exhibition bouts since retiring from the his in-ring duties in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugas.
The following year, he beat an MMA fighter on points in a dominant victory, but he looked a shadow of his former self in his most recent outing in July 2024.
The fight was a non-scoring bout so it ended in an automatic draw, however Pacquiao’s performance left a lot to be desired, prompting fans to call for his retirement.
Khan also revealed last November that an undisclosed country had offered him a lump sum to stage a fight between the pair.
He told talkSPORT that he is only a one hour flight away from Saudi Arabia, where all the biggest boxing fights are currently taking place.
