Sometimes when there’s smoke there’s fire, and that’s the case when on Saturday, May 3, British star Amir “King” Khan faces Brooklyn native Luis Collazo in the 12-round welterweight co-main event of Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana.
This ends weeks of speculation about Khan’s next fight, and follows Collazo publicly calling for Khan after signing with Al Haymon.
“I’m looking forward to fighting in Las Vegas once again, and my intention on May 3 is to make a statement that I belong on this big stage,” said Khan.
“Luis Collazo might be coming off of a big win, but I am in incredible shape and am ready for this challenge. A win on May 3 is what I need to prove that I truly am one of the best welterweights in the sport.”
“Defeating Victor Ortiz in January was just the beginning,” said Collazo.
“Facing and beating Amir Khan on the biggest stage in the sport is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will take full advantage of this and put myself in the best position to face the winner of the main event. I hope Khan is ready because Brooklyn is coming to take him down.”
“Both Amir Khan and Luis Collazo have made it known that they want a shot at the winner of the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana, so what better way for them to prove that they’re next in line than by fighting on “THE MOMENT” card on May 3?” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “These are two exciting former world champions and this fight has the potential to steal the show.”
“Amir Khan and Luis Collazo are aggressive boxers who deliver excitement and fan-friendly action in every fight,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®. “With the addition of this main event-caliber co-feature bout, boxing’s biggest night of the year has become even bigger. Mayweather vs. Maidana and Khan vs. Collazo is a spectacular one-two punch for boxing fans.”
A British standout who represented his nation in the 2004 Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal, Bolton’s Amir “King” Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) went from local hero to international star when he won his first world title at 140 pounds in 2009.
After five successful defenses that included wins over Marcos Maidana, Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah, Khan lost his title by way of a controversial decision to Lamont Peterson in 2011. Winner of two straight over Carlos Molina and Julio Diaz since, the flashy, flamboyant 27-year-old boxer-puncher is now campaigning at welterweight, where he seeks championship gold once again.
Brooklyn’s Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs) has long been one of New York’s finest exports, a slick boxer who isn’t afraid to get into the trenches and slug it out. Collazo is a former WBA Welterweight World Champion and currently holds the WBA International Welterweight Title.
No stranger to facing the elite in his weight class, he has squared off against fighters such as Jose Antonio Rivera, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley and Andre Berto. Collazo took nearly two years off from the ring, but since returning in 2011, he has won five of six bouts, including four straight. This past January, he made the statement of a lifetime with a blistering second-round knockout victory over favored former world champion Victor Ortiz, and he has similar plans for Khan on May 3.
