Amir Khan
Khan remains hopeful of a future meeting with Mayweather or Pacquiao. Getty

Amir Khan continues to harbour ambitions of fighting either Floyd Mayweather Jr or Manny Pacquiao in the near future despite admitting hopes of agreeing a deal in 2014 are over.

Mayweather Jr faces a rematch in September against Marcos Maidana while Pacquiao takes on Chris Algieri in November after beating Timothy Bradley earlier this year.

Following the end of Ramadan, Khan has turned his attention to his next opponent this year but remains hopeful of meeting either the unbeaten Mayweather or Pacquiao.

"The Manny fight can still happen at some point," Khan told The Guardian. "My promoters, Golden Boy, and Bob Arum [Pacquiao's promoter] are about to start working together again.

"Me and Manny sparred a lot, and I often went with him to the Philippines, so it would make a great fight. I've left it with my team and my adviser Al Haymon and I told them: 'I like the Manny fight.' But we've had no response.

"Boxing is all about timing and Manny and Floyd are getting older. Someone has to take their place. Mayweather would be a very technical fight, like a game of chess."

Khan's hopes of facing Mayweather, 37, have dwindled this year after the 48-0 fighter declined to agree to a meeting with the Brit despite finishing top of an online poll to decide his next opponent.

The undefeated American had promised Khan a bout after he defeated Luis Collazo impressively in May, but instead opted for rematch against Maidana later this year.

Asked whether he believes Mayweather will ever stick to his promise of fighting Khan, he said: "I kind of do, but I don't.

"It's a tough one. I know he needs me to make the really big pay-per-view numbers and money motivates him. It drives him because he can make much more fighting me than Maidana. I'm big in the UK, Dubai, Asia and places where Floyd's not as well known.

"Floyd had a tough fight last time and the rematch might be tough too. So it's working out just right. When we do fight I'll be so much fresher. I know Floyd wants to reach the 50-fight mark and maybe his last one will be against me.

"But I think Manny would be harder. He's much more aggressive and it would be more intense. But with my trainer Virgil Hunter I'm a much better and more defensive fighter."

"The Mayweather fight has gone for now," he added. "The Manny fight too. So I'll be disappointed because who else is there to fight? It's very hard to get a top-10 guy but I want to keep busy."