Amir Khan confirms Manny Pacquiao talks but rules out Fury-Joshua undercard

The Bolton fighter, 39, says he has seen "numbers which I'm happy with" and a location, more than four years after his last fight.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Sat 10 Oct, 11:37 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan pose together — Photo: Getty Images via Metro

Amir Khan has confirmed he is in talks to come out of retirement for a fight with Manny Pacquiao, but said it will not happen on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card in Cardiff on 11 December.

Khan, 39, has not boxed since his loss to Kell Brook in Manchester in February 2022 and announced his retirement three months later. Pacquiao, 47, had been linked to a place on the Fury-Joshua undercard, and Joe Cordina was offered as a possible opponent for him on that card.

"There are talks. There's a lot of interest," Khan told Metro. "I've seen numbers which I'm happy with and I've seen a location which I'm happy with. Manny has come back to the same team that I'm dealing with and said he would want something as well. Manny is happy."

Asked whether a deal could be done in time for 11 December, Khan said: "No. That's a rumour. Even if it was for that fight night, I wouldn't be ready for it and I don't think Manny would be either. We've both been travelling and we're obviously not back in camp. It's only about nine weeks away. I don't know where that came from."

"My days have been done. This is a little bit of a bonus coming up for me," Khan said. "I don't want to say no to it because I've always wanted that fight."

The fight has been close before without happening. In November 2015 Khan agreed terms to face Pacquiao in Las Vegas the following April, and in February 2017 both men said they were in negotiations, with Pacquiao writing on Twitter: "My team and I are in negotiations with Amir Khan for our next fight." Neither produced a fight.

Khan, 34-6 (21 KOs), won world titles at light-welterweight. Pacquiao, 62-8-3 (39 KOs), ended a four-year break in July 2025 when he drew with then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, and his last win came against Keith Thurman in 2019.

Cordina has already said what he would do to Pacquiao in Cardiff if that fight is made.