Amir Khan says he’s up for Conor McGregor bout… in the UFC
Boxing star says he's prepared to do what Floyd Mayweather won't and face Conor McGregor in the UFC's famed Octagon
AMIR Khan says he's prepared to go one step further than Floyd Mayweather and step into the Octagon to face Conor McGregor.
In a revealing interview with , Khan sensationally offered to step out of his comfort zone for a megabucks fight with 'The Notorious' Dubliner in the UFC.
"I would, definitely," Khan said.
"Something like that would be massive.
"Even if I started to train MMA next year, I'd only be 30 years old. I could stop and train for a full year and become a good MMA fighter.
"I've been fighting all my life, so for me, I don't think it'd be a problem for me to learn and switch over to the sport."
A bout between the pair would represent the biggest cross-code matchup since former multi-weight world boxing champion James 'Lights Out' Toney challenged former two-weight UFC champ Randy 'The Natural' Couture in 2010.
It's a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed by Khan, who referenced McGregor's upcoming rematch with Nate Diaz as an example of how the sport has captured the imagination of fight fans across the world.
"It just shows how big this sport is getting," Khan said.
"It's going to hit crazy numbers and sometimes it surpasses boxing. These are fights people want to see.
"If it was boxing, you might not see a rematch. With MMA, it seems quite easy to make fights that the fans want to see.
"I was chasing Mayweather for two years, and the fight never happened. The fans wanted to see it, but he didn't want it. So that's the difference between MMA and boxing."
Mayweather has pushed for a boxing bout with McGregor, but Khan says it's little more than a publicity stunt.
"I don't think Mayweather would ever take it," he said.
"When Mayweather knows he's in a real fight, he just backs out of it.
"It was good hype while it lasted but I knew it was never going to happen. If it did happen, it would be the biggest fight ever.
"It would've been a great business move, but I don't think it would've been a good fight."
And the Olympic silver medallist and two-weight world boxing champion said that while Mayweather wouldn't have the guts to face McGregor in the Octagon, he would.
"I don't think Mayweather would want to fight under MMA rules," he said.
"I'm a little different in that sense, where I would get into a cage and I would fight in MMA rules, so that's the difference between me and Mayweather.
"I would definitely give it a go. It's something to learn, as well.
"I'm at that age where I'm still learning, adapting and getting better. So I still have time under me as well. I'm still a young lad and got loads left in me.
"McGregor is a massive name in MMA, and I'm a big name in boxing, so globally, I think it would be a massive fight.
"It just depends on the weight category, but look, as a fighter, that's a fight I would take."
Such a fight would reignite the debate over how an elite-level boxer would fare in the Octagon.
Toney's attempt was near-farcical, as the former world champ failed to land a single punch as he was taken down and submitted by Couture in the first round.
But Khan believes his boxing skills would stand him in good stead with McGregor, who prefers to engage in the striking arts when competing in the Octagon.
"I think McGregor has some great boxing skills," said Khan.
"A good boxer will always win a MMA fight, I've always said that. A good puncher will always win.
"You saw in the Aldo fight - he took a step back and countered him as he came in.
"With boxing, it's all about distance and timing, and that's something we have on our side more than MMA fighters."
