It seems Floyd Mayweather is everyone’s choice for the fighter they want to face in 2012. The biggest draw in boxing (arguably) has set a May 5, 2012 date for his next fight, with Manny Pacquiao obviously the first choice. Amir Khan has made it clear these past months he wants a shot at Mayweather in 2012, but his direction has seemed to have change recently, back to Timothy Bradley.

Amir Khan (26-1), the WBA and IBF Light Welterweight Champion,  and Timothy Bradley (28-0-0-1) were supposed to meet before, but Bradley refused the Light-Welterweight unification bout. Amir Khan has gone on to beat Zab Judah and unify belts, promising his Lamont Peterson fight this December will be his last at Light-Welterweight, hoping to move on to 147 lbs and get the Mayweather fight.

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The Bradley situation wasn’t that simple as appeared. Timothy Bradley, eventually stripped of his title belt due to inactivity, was tangled up with his promoter , costing him the WBC Championship. Now signed with Top Rank and already after a win over Joel Casamayor, Bradley seems available again.

Khan revealed this week he even confronted Bradley before the Casamayor fight, expressing his anger and frustration at the American – He was walking towards me, but wouldn’t look at me. He knew I was there and I said something like, ‘When are you going to grow some balls, stand up and take the fight against me?’ He just didn’t look at me again. I mean, he must’ve heard me because the people behind him – I think it was his father or trainer – heard what I said. 

But at the end of the day he stayed quiet and just went ahead. I didn’t want to make myself look stupid, because I really think I’m the bigger draw in the division. But I just wanted to make him realise and make him know I’m not scared.

Timothy Bradley himself is probably hoping for a shot at Manny Pacquiao, but as with all boxers wanting a piece of the big two – Sergio Martinez, Saul Alvarez and others, it all depends on whether Pacquiao and Mayweather can get a deal signed or not. If not, than it’s very interesting to see who actually gets matched up with the two, because everybody wants a piece of that action, mostly financially.

Amir Khan is also facing bids from the UK, especially Kell Brook, a 25 year old undefeated Welterweight with a big mouthed promoter who keeps calling out Amir Khan as being scared to face his fighter. Although not in nearly the same level of popularity, this is also an option for Khan. But Khan wants Timothy Bradley, it’s clear. He’s willing to postpone his Welterweight plans to fight Bradley at 140.

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I was desperate to fight Tim Bradley – we offered him 50-50, even with UK money. I wanted to fight him when he was on top of his game and had two belts. I wanted to be the undisputed champion. First I want to get this fight out of the way with Peterson. If it makes sense then I will stay at 140 for Bradley before moving up to 147. If the fight is a big fight, why not?

In Boxing, like with the Berto – Ortiz case, good money combined with the desire to prove yourself against a certain someone takes your career off tracks to unknown, and possibly dangerous roads.