Amir Khan: Manny Pacquiao Has Signed to Fight Me, Fight Could Happen in 2027

British boxing icon Amir Khan has exclusively revealed to Hard Rock Bet that he is in talks for a sensational 2027 showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

Khan, a former unified junior-welterweight world champion, revealed that ‘PacMan’ has signed a contract with a promotional company to fight him next year.

Elsewhere, with Tyson Fury’s long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua set for December, Khan previewed the highly anticipated Battle of Britain showdown and also discussed the heated war of words between promoters Dana White and Eddie Hearn.

Across the Atlantic, Ryan Garcia has offered Floyd Mayweather a sensational comeback fight at welterweight for the WBC title. However, Khan has warned Garcia to stay away from Mayweather, branding the boxing legend a ‘clout chaser’.

Manny Pacquiao has signed to fight me

Do you have any new exciting projects coming up?

Amir Khan: There’s been a team in touch with me. I’ve not told anyone. I’ve just kept to myself. There’s a lot of excitement about it.

They said that they aren’t the team of Manny Pacquiao or Sean Gibbons, but they wanted to approach me because Pacquiao mentioned my name. Let’s see if it happens. I would say yes to, but it’s not something that I’m going to put all my eggs in the basket where I’m going to say, “It’s happening, it’s happening.”

I know things like this sometimes happen, sometimes don’t happen, but I thought I’d let you know that they have been talking to me, the team. Not Pacquiao’s team, but this promotional company, who said they’ve got a signature from Manny Pacquiao.

They then said, “We want a signature from you now,” but I’m just looking at things and sent it to a lawyer. Let’s see what happens. If it happens, it’s not something I’ll say no to. It’s something I’ve always wanted. This is new. I didn’t mention it, I didn’t tweet about it, let’s see.

When would it take place?

Amir Khan: January or February next year. America would be a great location. They want two legends to be in the ring again. They know that they will fetch big numbers.

So, I said, look, no problem. I go, “What do you need from me, let me know. I would say yes, I’ll fight.” But I’m not going to promote it. I’m not going to post about it like it’s happening. It’s not. There’s talks happening. That’s all.

They were happy for me to tell you that I was allowed to mention, and to announce that there’s talks happening this year.

Is this the big news that Sean Gibbons has teased about?

Amir Khan: It could be. It could be, or it could even be a fight before then. There was talk of him being on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua, I don’t see that happening and there was also talk of me being on the card.

I don’t know where they got that from because I never heard a word. So, I don’t know where that came from. But, look, the fight just interests me, but it’s been four or five years since I last had a fight.

I need to get back to training camp, start to fly out. I just wanted to just enjoy myself a little bit, but if I find out that the fight is happening, I’ll need to get into camp and be in super shape and train hard.

I honestly overtrained myself with my last fight [against Kell Brook], and I didn’t want to leave it because I questioned myself that if I didn’t overtrain myself, how would that fight have gone?

So, I still feel that I killed myself in the last camp, and that’s my own fault. I should have took my foot off the gas. After COVID, I went into a hard training camp, there was COVID, injuries… you can’t keep boiling the kettle because there’ll be nothing left inside it.

I had nothing left of me. There’s no excuse to be my one on the night. The better man won but I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. I just want to see if I still have it in me.

Ryan Garcia should avoid Floyd Mayweather

Ryan Garcia has offered Floyd Mayweather a fight and to put his 50-0 record on the line, what do you make of this?

Amir Khan: I think Mayweather’s nearly 50. I think Mayweather’s missing the limelight. Ryan is a superstar in boxing, he’s a big name, and Mayweather is missing that limelight.

I think Ryan Garcia should ignore him and just move on in life, because the thing is, Mayweather is 50 and I think he just wants the money.

He is living the high life and living the lavish life, definitely, but the thing is, bless him, I just hope that he’s not spent all of his money, and he’s got enough left, that he doesn’t need to go back in the ring again and get hurt because, at that age, at 50, you can get hurt.

Dana White is great for boxing

Do you think Dana White should be involved for the Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua fight?

Amir Khan: Well, it’s fine. I think it’s cool if Dana is involved in it. It makes the sport bigger. Dana is a massive name in sport, and what he’s done with the UFC, I think that you need people like Dana White involved in boxing because it gives other boxing promoters competition, and to be the best.

Now, they must be scared of Dana for him to say, “Really, he’s part of this fight, of this show, let him be.” Because at the end of the day, it’s only going to help boxing. It’s only going to make boxing a better, a bigger sport.

Also, he’s going to try to get the fans of UFC over to boxing. Look, it came to a stage where UFC surpassed boxing in viewership and people talking about it. I was going to cafés for coffee and people were talking about UFC, and I’m like, “Well, there were days where they were talking about boxing…”

Boxing was always the number one sport, but now UFC’s taken over. So, this is why we need… I would love him to be involved in boxing where he’s going to definitely put a bit of pressure on these promoters that it’s not, “I’m in this game now as well, so you can’t fool me.” With Dana saying, “I’m coming to take over.” It’s only going to up everyone’s game.

Who would win in a fight between Eddie Hearn and Dana White?

Amir Khan: It’s a hard one because, you know, with a boxing match, Eddie Hearn, you know, because he’s got the height, he’s got the length, and he also, like, when it comes to boxing, he’s been around boxing all his life.

So I think I give the edge to Eddie in that because he’s already been around the fighters, and when you’re around and you’re looking at boxing, he’s always been looking at boxing, you do pick up things and you end up working out.

And then I see that Eddie is always running, he’s always training, keeping fit. So I think Eddie takes that. But maybe three rounds before getting a knockout by throwing the left hook.

Fury v Joshua won’t go the full distance

How do you see Fury v Joshua going?

Amir Khan: It’s a fantastic fight for the fans. Both fighters, we know, are not the same fighters as they used to be, and they are half of what they were, maybe five years ago. But what a fight it’s going to be.

It’s a fight for the fans. I’m sure the fans are thankful that both Fury and AJ have made the fight happen in the UK. They managed to negotiate and to bring the fight in the UK, which everyone wanted to be at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. It’s an amazing place.

I think location-wise, it is ideal for everyone to get to. I mean, it’s going to be one of the biggest fights in Britain because we don’t know who’s going to win the fight. They are both no longer at their best. They’re more towards the end of their career, but we still want to see both guys hit each other.

If you look at them both, you might maybe lean more towards Fury. Maybe he is a little bit fresher.

But then again, AJ’s got power. Is he fresh enough to take the power that AJ still has because power doesn’t leave you. Maybe the reaction timing from AJ might not be there. Look, this is a fight where both guys can bang and they can hurt each other and it doesn’t go 12 rounds.

What do you make of Ben Davison training Anthony Joshua for the fight?

Amir Khan: He knows Tyson Fury well, but still, a trainer, it’s not enough. A trainer can’t tell him how to fight. You might tell him the fundamentals, that’s about it, really, but a trainer really isn’t going to make a difference.

Mentally, yes. It might be like a bit of a mental advantage that AJ has got over Fury, that I’ve got your old trainer in my corner. But I don’t think it makes a difference because when you’re in that ring, everyone’s game plan changes when you get punched in the face.

Katie Taylor broke barriers for women’s boxing

Katie Taylor retired after an incredible career, what did you make of her career?

Amir Khan: Yeah, what a fantastic career. She opened the doors for women’s boxing, in my opinion. She was amazing, I think because of her, women’s boxing is on the big stage and has become popular as well as having big investment from promoters.

What a great fighter she is and was, and she’ll always be remembered as the one, the first to come and become a world champion and also promote women’s boxing in the UK & Ireland. She is a hero, a role model and an absolute legend.

Big respect goes out to her. Let her go now, put her feet up and just chill and enjoy life because she’s worked really, really hard. All of them wars she had, and all them tough nights of boxing, she deserves more than anything to go and rest, relax and enjoy the fruits of her labour.

She is such a great role model and did a lot for Ireland, she stood for the people and devoted herself to the sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo has no intentions of retiring

What is it like spending time with Cristiano Ronaldo?

Amir Khan: With Cristiano Ronaldo, I had a really good conversation. He was telling me that when he came to Manchester United, he would remember me, and he would come to a couple of my fights at Manchester Arena. He loves boxing.

And then we were talking about his son. Would you let him play football? And he was telling me that he’s got an easier life than how he had. He was telling me, like, “You know, I support my kids in everything.”

And then we moved on to training. He was telling me about how hard he trains, how hard he works. He said to me, and this was last year, “I don’t want to retire yet.” But obviously, there always comes a time where your body can’t take it anymore. When you dedicate yourself so much to something like football, that’s the only thing you know.

You dedicate your whole life to it, so you don’t want to retire. For me, it’s like when you feel that, when you retire from football or from a sport you love, you know, it’s time. I tried to explain that to Ronaldo, that he’s still going to have involvement in it, but he won’t be physically beating his body up. He wants to continue playing and breaking records.

My kids love him. I’d love to take them to a game so they could meet him. I’m sure Cristiano would take time out too, he’s that kind of person. I met his son Junior as well and, believe it or not, Junior’s best mate is a Pakistani boy, and when I’m in Saudi, the Pakistani boy comes to me for a picture, and he tells me, “Oh, can I take a picture with you?”

I said, “Yeah.” So I got to talk to him. I go, “Where are you from?” He goes, “I’m from Pakistan. I live in Saudi, and my best friend is Cristiano Ronaldo’s son.”

I’m like, “Why do you want to take a picture with me?” He goes, “You’re my hero. I love boxing because of you.”

I found it crazy because there are levels but it was nice that I was acknowledged by him and also by Cristiano and other sports athletes but there are things that sometimes shock me because maybe I give myself a hard time but some people see me as a hero and it is great to be their role model. I didn’t think people would see me like that.

What do you make of the criticism he sometimes gets despite being one of the most famous and loved people around the world?

Amir Khan: I just find it crazy, but whenever you look at sports, you always get haters. Maybe it is jealousy because by competing in sport, we are doing what we love to do, and we’re doing it to feed our family and give ourselves a good life. We’re entertaining people.

But I think it’s normal, but what Ronaldo did to get to where he is, he is a hero and is adored by everyone around the world. My kids love him, and they’d be upset if they heard that Ronaldo’s getting hate. Yeah. I’ll be more upset.

Ronaldo is such a nice guy. Now I’ve met him and I spoke to him and I sat with him. I found that he is a very genuine guy, and I think he’s another type of guy, very similar to me in a sense where he doesn’t see himself being this big superstar.

He goes, we go to all the events, does charity events and takes time out for so many people.