Amir Khan released a statement addressing the recent comments given by Manny Pacquiao as to why a fight between them never transpired. Khan said that he would like to make clear that he holds Manny as a fighter in the highest regard but his comments about “middle men” preventing the fight from happening are wholly inaccurate and false.
Amir Khan said:
“I have read recent comments by Manny Pacquiao stating that the reason a fight between us never happened was because of ‘middle men’ in my team – this is totally inaccurate and false.
“The only people negotiating on my behalf, as with all my fights, were my father Shah, uncle Taz and lawyer Robert Davis. They dealt directly with Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum and adviser Michael Koncz.
“An initial meeting took place last September between Bob Arum and my uncle and lawyer in London. This was at the direct request of Bob Arum. The negotiations went well to the extent that a ‘Heads of Terms’ was signed and sent from my lawyer to Bob Arum.
“My team was told by Bob Arum that it was a choice between either Terence Crawford or myself and dates in April were being explored with the fight to take place in Las Vegas or Qatar.
“Since September of last year my team had been in direct contact with Pacquiao’s team, spoke with them and met them face-to-face, so to state that middle men prevented the fight from happening is not true at all.
“Rather, having seen comments from Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach saying that HBO were not interested in the fight – yet are seemingly happy to broadcast a third fight between Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley – makes clear the contradictions and the fact his team knew a fight between us would be a very dangerous one for him and best avoided.
“Freddie, who has trained us both, knows how our sparring sessions used to go and with me having filled out more now as a welterweight, getting bigger and stronger, makes a fight with Bradley – who Pacquiao in most opinions has beaten twice – a much easier option.
“I want to make the best fights for the fans and it was neither my team nor a lack of desire from my end which prevented a fight with Pacquiao from happening – that rests squarely on Team Pacquiao.”
