Amir Khan isn’t just a part owner of an MMA promotion now. He would consider taking an MMA fight in the future.
Khan, the popular boxer, told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour that he won’t close the door on one day fighting in MMA, though he is focusing on boxing for the time being. It was announced Monday that Khan has become a co-owner of the Super Fight League MMA promotion.
“I just love all the grappling and everything that happens in cage fighting and the technique and everything,” Khan said. “In a boxing fight, there’s not much grappling allowed. In MMA fights, there’s a lot of floor work, a lot of grappling. At the same time, I’m a good puncher myself; I’m a good boxer. So at least I’ve got an advantage. If I work a little bit on my grappling, you never know. I might go in the cage next.”
There are no imminent plans, of course. Khan is angling for a blockbuster boxing match with Manny Pacquiao right now, so he has bigger fish to fry. But he would not rule out showing up in the SFL cage one day in “a couple of years.” Khan has worked out alongside MMA fighters like Georges St-Pierre and Andrei Arlovski with famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach.
“I don’t think I’d ever do that, but you never know,” Khan said said of an MMA fight. “I’m a fighter. I’m a born fighter. You never know. I might just want to one day say, ‘Hey I’m going to tie the gloves up and I’m gonna go into the cage.’ You just never know.”
Khan, 28, has been a fan of MMA for a long time and believes it is a smart business move getting involved with SFL, which is based in India, but runs events worldwide. Khan said the plan is to hold 52 events worldwide next year. He and CEO Bill Dosanjh have big plans for the promotion.
“I really believe MMA is a growing sport,” Khan said. … “I want to give the young up-and-coming talent a chance. Let them showcase their skills on a big network.”
Khan, who is coming off a unanimous decision win over Chris Algieri on a PBC card in May, sat next to UFC president Dana White and boxing legend Mike Tyson at UFC 70 in 2007. At the time, he had no idea who White was nor how big MMA would get. Khan loves boxing, but believes MMA has at least one advantage: There seems to be less of a barrier between big fights getting made. Personally, Khan wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather next, but Mayweather chose Andre Berto instead.
“With boxing, we’re not getting that,” Khan said. “There are lot of fighters avoiding each other. … I wish it was like MMA, but maybe one day it will be.”
Khan is hoping for Pacquiao next and maybe Mayweather in the future. He also has plans on a possible bout with countryman Kell Brook in England next summer. Any kind of plans for an MMA fight would not happen soon. Dosanjh has already asked him about it, but Khan is leaning toward no — at least for right now.
“Boxing pays me well,” Khan said. “I love the boxing. It would be very hard. I don’t think I’ll ever do that. I don’t think my mom would like to see me in a cage fighting. Obviously she hates me boxing, let alone being in an MMA fight.”