Khan Confident of Beating Pacquiao to Huge Mayweather Fight in 2014

Britain's Amir Khan is confident of securing a blockbuster fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2014, according to Sky Sports pundit Glenn McCrory

The two-time light welterweight champion has been consistently mentioned as a possible opponent for Mayweather but there is yet to be an official announcement.

Manny Pacquiao's name was also thrown back into the mix after his one-sided points victory over Brandon Rios on Saturday in Macau but it seems Khan believes that he will have the opportunity to inflict a first professional loss on Mayweather.

Khan was adding his expert opinion last weekend as Carl Froch secured a controversial victory over George Groves and it seems he told McCrory that he feels he is next in line to face the brash American, rather than his former stable mate Pacquiao.

"His victory on Saturday night inevitably brought up talk of a Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather fight, but I was sat next to Amir Khan for the Carl Froch-George Groves match and he seemed quietly confident that he was going to get Mayweather next," McCrory told Sky Sports.

"It's not official and he was keen to stress that no deal had been done, but I've got a feeling now that's the way things are headed.

"It could be that that's what Amir's put his career on hold for. He didn't take that fight with Devon Alexander and presumably the reason why he chose to miss out on that big pay day is because he thinks the possibility of Mayweather is pretty solid."

Khan is highly ranked in the welterweight division, despite never fighting at 147lbs, and Mayweather's camp have previously suggested that the Brit could be handed an opportunity against their fighter.

The 26 year old has mixed it at the very highest level and has loyal supporters both in America and England which means that it would attract a huge audience, something that Mayweather often thinks about when signing up for a fight.

The five-division world champion still has four fights remaining on his six-fight deal with Showtime and is expected to once again fight in May 2014. He would undoubtedly be the favourite should be face Khan but McCrory believes that the younger fighter could cause him trouble because of his exceptional hand speed.

"Khan is the one man who could actually worry Mayweather because he's the one man who's faster than Mayweather," he added.

"Mayweather isn't the kind of hunt-you-down lethal finisher either, so Khan definitely has a chance. It's very hard to say he'd beat him, but he will give him problems because he's got speed.

"The other thing is that Khan's usual weakness of getting hit won't be as much of a problem because Mayweather is more of a counter-puncher.

"Mayweather showed against Saul Alvarez that he can be tough and can push big men back, but he couldn't finish him. That would give Khan hope that he could be the busier man and maybe nick a decision. He's got the style to do it."