Amir Khan
Khan defeat Luis Collazo in impressive fashion earlier this month.

Britain's Amir Khan is the leading contender to face Manny Pacquiao next year after promoter Bob Acrum said a fight could be agreed with Golden Boy compatriot Oscar De La Hoya as Floyd Mayweather Jr continues to stall on a potential meeting with either of the pair.

Khan produced an impressive performance to defeat Luis Collazo at the start of May and has talked up the possibility of facing Pacquaio after the Filipino defeated Tim Bradley in April.

With both fighters having been made to wait to face Mayweather Jr, a deal could be clinched for a meeting in 2014 in New York, given how De La Hoya has regained control of Golden Boy Promotions.

"With what's happening at Golden Boy, with Oscar retaking control of his company, from our standpoint, we love Oscar, we promoted him," said Arum.

"And we talk with Oscar about reuniting and doing fights together, so we will see which of these welterweights--who have been fighting for Golden Boy or on the contract to Golden Boy--Oscar can produce.

"Once we learn that, we can review those fighters and they'll be in the mix. It could be Amir Khan, not Canelo Alvarez, he is fighting in July. Canelo won't be right but maybe sometime next year."

The 27-year-old Khan has been consistently overlooked by Mayweather, with Marcos Maidana chosen as the unbeaten American's last opponent despite an online poll going the way of the Brit.

Despite achieving a unanimous points victory over Maidana, Mayweather says he is open to a rematch with the Argentine which would further delay Khan and Pacquiao's hopes of fighting the 37-year-old.

Pacquiao and Khan could lose patience and face each other next year, and the latter says a bout is a distinct possibility.

"It can happen, definitely it can happen," said Khan before he beat Collazo at the start of May.

"I mean, we are friends, but like I've said, sometimes friends have to fight each other. Manny's a great fighter, but if it makes sense taking that fight, then why not?

"I want to fight the best people out there so if that means Manny's one of them and it could happen, then why not? It can definitely happen."