British boxer Amir Khan is all set to get it on with Chris Algieri at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York (9:00 pm ET, Friday and 2:00 am BST, Saturday) in a match that Khan must win convincingly before thinking ahead. Full details of the coming match can be found here via the Bleacher Report.
Khan is rumored to be among the top favorites as Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s opponent in September, a match Mayweather claims would be his last before hanging up his gloves.
If Mayweather registers another victory against Khan, or whichever opponent he chooses to face, the American boxer will match the 49-0 boxing record held by the great Rocky Marciano.
Though the supposed clash is still a good three months away, Khan is at the top of the list of opponents that Mayweather's camp is considering.
According to the Daily Mail, Khan knows for a fact that he has the inside track, but it should not serve as a distraction against a dangerous adversary such as Chris Algieri.
Algieri is looking to redeem himself after suffering a loss to Manny Pacquiao last November 11, 2014, where he was knocked down six times. The determination to redeem himself after the loss means that it will not be an easy fight for Khan.
For Khan (30-3, 19 by KO), a victory is the only option if he wants to seal the deal with Mayweather this September.
Khan is an obvious favorite to come out on top. However, it would not be surprising if a different outcome takes place. Algieri could pull off an upset and should that happen, Khan’s date with Mayweather this September could be placed in serious jeopardy.
Khan has been mentioned as a likely opponent since a rematch between Mayweather and Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has become improbable. Pacquiao underwent surgery for his right shoulder recently and is not expected to be back in the ring until early next year.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. apparently has no plans of waiting that long and had already mentioned that he intends to fight again this September, after his May 2 conquest of Pacquiao. The September fight is also supposedly going to be his farewell fight.
With Pacquiao indisposed, Khan became the likely alternative. Khan claims that he was approached by Mayweather's camp after the May 2 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Algieri remains in the way and Khan needs to dispose of him first before even thinking of Mayweather.