Floyd Mayweather still needs to go through Miguel Cotto. He still needs to get through prison time for just under three months. He still needs to, or expected to, finally close a deal and fight Manny Pacquiao. Maybe in late 2012 (November December) or early 2013. Now, according to Golden Boy Promotions, a fight with Amir Khan is also something to look forward to.

After Amir Khan beat Zab Judah in July 2011, the rumors of him getting a fight with Floyd Mayweather started hovering. Mayweather was in the midst of another return to the sport, preparing for a fight with Victor Ortiz. As always, the Manny Pacquiao fight seemed to be the main goal for him. Khan, who has been sparring with Khan until last year, the Filipino option was never to real and serious. He wanted Mayweather in 2012. Things changed for both of them. Jail, and a loss to Lamont Peterson for Amir Khan.

Khan’s plans of moving up to Welterweight took a hit, and he gave himself a mission before making the move. Getting his WBA and IBF belts back. Whether you think Khan was robbed in the fight against Peterson or not, it doesn’t really matter, because Khan was so eager to get a rematch he gave Peterson a 50-50 split. Peterson, disappointed of not getting chosen by Manny Pacquiao for a June fight, will fight in Vegas, without the home advantage he obviously enjoyed in Washington with both fans and judges, defending his Light Welterweight titles.

Mayweathe dabbled with the idea of fighting Khan, but he kept saying Khan needs to prove himself, and so on, so on. Arrogant as it may sound, he’s right. Amir Khan hasn’t even fought at Welterweight, and according to the Golden Boy Promotions plan, which also involves Floyd Mayweather, Khan will beat Lamont Peterson, fight one fight at the 147 lbs division and then take on Mayweather. Hopefully, for all sides, after he has already fought Manny Pacquiao.

Richard Schaefer, the GBP CEO, knows Khan isn’t ready at the moment to take on a challenge like Mayweather. Not yet.

I don’t know how to say it more elegantly, but sometimes Amir’s balls are too big for his own good. Look at Mayweather – he’s a master tactician who knows how to use defensive and offensive skills and has been knocking people out recently. He knows what it takes to win and fights very smart. 

Amir has the skills, speed and power, but what he needs to work on are the ‘ring smarts’ and not get carried away. He’s still very young and he learnt a lot from the Peterson fight. We’ll see if he applies that on May 19. 

There’s never going to be a boring Amir Khan fight because he is incapable of producing that. He’s an exciting guy to watch and that’s why we all want to see him. We would like him to have one fight at welterweight if he beats Peterson, and then there is the match with Mayweather. We have discussed it with the Mayweather camp, and they are interested.

Will Floyd Mayweather be even interested? After his Miguel Cotto fight, which will be at 154 pounds, it’s time for prison. After? Really, who knows? Mayweather can suddenly announce another retirement or break from the sport. Manny Pacquiao has also been contemplating retirement, both for religious reasons and so he can spend more time handling politics. Khan, 25, doesn’t have such a big window of opportunity to face the best fighters in the division. Worse, he’s far from guaranteed victory against Lamont Peterson.