Boxing

Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan Could Face Each Other Soon

Stuart Atkins

June 2, 2016

It’s official, whether you are for it or not, the boxing world governing body has voted for professionals to be able to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Out of the 88 members of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) 84 have voted in favour of having professional boxers compete with amateur boxers at the 2016 Rio Olympics. This is a massive rule change and probably will go down as the biggest change in modern day Olympic history.

Unbelievably this radical move by the AIBA is now a reality. The AIBA’s president, Dr Ching-Kuo Wu said: “We want the best boxers to come to the Olympic Games. It is AIBA’s 70th birthday, and we want something to change, not after four years, but now.

There will only be 26 available spots in the Rio tournament and they will be decided in a qualifying event in Venezuela next month.

Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan.

The likes of Anthony Joshua, Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Vasyl Lomachenko and Many more could be pressing for a medal in 2016.

Amir Khan who has been for this idea from the beginning said, “The AIBA wants professional boxers to work with the AIBA and they will allow them to go to the Olympics. So imagine, I may have a second chance at the Olympics. That will be amazing and massive because everybody wants to go to the Olympics.”

On their way to Rio? Both have said they like the idea.

“It’s something I’d love to maybe enter because me winning a silver medal, I want to turn it into a gold medal,” Khan added.

“It’d be a little different because you’re only fighting three rounds, but the minutes of the rounds are going to be the same.”

“I’ve watched the guys who were fighting at my weight category, and I was watching like, I could still beat these guys. Even have the same work rate and everything.”

Freddie Roach with his two fighters back in the day.

Manny Pacquiao is another fighter that had been for this idea, “I’m not saying I’m going to fight or saying I’m not,” Manny said. “I’m not closing the door. I’m thinking about it.”

So could we see a Khan Pacquiao fight in the next few years, with much talk of these two ex-stable mates matching up against each other, I’m sure it could be the fight of the tournament.

Even big Wlad might return to the Olympics.

Even Wladimir Klitschko feels like he may have a shot, but the heavyweight will be well into his 40’s come 2016, he said: “The chance to win a second gold medal 20 years after the first would be a dream come true.”