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Home » EXCLUSIVE: Manny Pacquiao ‘has not signed a contract’ for Amir Khan

EXCLUSIVE: Manny Pacquiao ‘has not signed a contract’ for Amir Khan

Amir Khan’s Tuesday announcement of a November 8th clash with former training partner Manny Pacquiao has been branded premature.

Pacquiao’s publicist Fred Sternberg issued a swift denial on the matter following Khan’s comments at a Bolton media day.

Khan told the press: “The next fight is going to be back in Saudi Arabia again, Riyadh this time, it’s going to be November 8.

“Hopefully it could be the Manny Pacquiao fight, we have both signed that the fight is done. Hopefully he gets past his fight this weekend.”

Sternberg and Khan were both contacted for further on the statement. Sternberg was quick to rubbish the claims.

“There’s nothing more to say on this. Manny has not signed a contract to fight Amir Khan,” Sternberg exclusively told World Boxing News.

“Amir has been putting this out for weeks,” he added.

It was a surprising development from Khan to call a press conference to confirm the fight during Pacquiao’s own fight week.

Recently defeating Billy Dib in Saudi Arabia himself, Khan is keen to head back to the territory.

The Pacquiao fight could conceivably happen, but it’s certain the ‘Pacman’ and his team would not want to reveal any happenings until after this weekend’s battle with Keith Thurman.

Heading back to Las Vegas for the 21st time, Pacquiao challenges for Thurman’s WBA welterweight title.

With a tough assignment ahead of him, nothing is likely to develop until the dust settles on the MGM Grand encounter.


VISION

Prior to the Dib fight, Khan had explained his Jeddah vision and does have the financial clout to back it up.

“It’s a very exciting time for boxing in the Middle East. Myself and my partner Bill Dosanjh are pioneering the move with our Super Boxing League in the region,” said Khan.

“This is just the start of our plans. We intend to make Saudi Arabia a big-fight capital just like Las Vegas, New York and London. In time, I believe that it will be just as big as those cities.

“Through our Super Boxing League teams the Jeddah Sharks and Tigers we aim to discover and develop the first stars of Saudi boxing. Help to create exciting talent in this largely untapped area of potential.

“Also, we have just opened the Super Boxing Gym in partnership with Fitness Time to bring boxing training initially to eight properties in Saudi Arabia. We can expand to 140 properties throughout the KSA that will give incredible access for people to train in boxing.

“The dream would be to help discover the first Saudi boxing World Champion or help to take the first Saudi boxer to Olympic Gold. That is our aim and this is just the beginning.”