Amir Khan’s promoter says rival Timothy Bradley ‘had his chance’

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Amir Khan’s promoter cast a grim view of the British fighter taking on his fellow two-belt junior-welterweight rival Timothy Bradley.

Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions said late Saturday night that the unbeaten Bradley of the Coachella Valley ‘had his chance’ to fight Khan on Saturday.

Bradley rejected that date citing promotional problems and the desire to let a Khan fight ‘marinate.’
Khan instead battered veteran Zab Judah en route to a fifth-round knockout Saturday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Schaefer said that while he would reach out to the Bradley camp for Khan’s next scheduled fight in December, he believed Bradley would rebuff that offer in favor of an undercard bout below Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III on Nov. 14.

‘Bradley has no promoter, he’s involved in a lawsuoit and he has no TV date,’ Schaefer said. ‘He overplayed his cards. If he’s not available in December, we’re moving on. No one can ever say Amir Khan did not give Bradley a chance.’ Although Bradley told The Times on Saturday that he still envisioned a date against Khan in 2012, Schaefer said he believed Bradley was angling for a $5-million purse against Pacquiao next year should the problematic Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. talks fail again.

That would mean that Khan in December would fight someone like 140-pound contender Robert Guerrero, if he defeats Marcos Maidana August 27, or veteran Erik Morales.

Khan’s father, Shah, said his son’s career script then would likely call for a move to welterweight in the first half of 2012, with the hope of positioning for a title shot within ’12 to 18 months.’

One of the possibilities for Khan is Mayweather, Schaefer said, exciting British reporters by saying a Mayweather-Khan date next year at a stadium like Wembley is possible.

‘If -- and it’s a huge if -- Mayweather beats Victor Ortiz in September, I’d like to see that fight,’ Schaefer said.

RELATED:

Photos: Amir Khan vs. Zab Judah

Amir Khan’s fight against Zab Judah is a proving ground

-- Lance Pugmire