Floyd Mayweather's treatment of Amir Khan is 'a disgrace', says promoter Bob Arum

EXCLUSIVE: Promoter Bob Arum says Amir Khan is being "humiliated" by Floyd Mayweather and believes the American will fight Marcos Maidana

Floyd Mayweather's treatment of Amir Khan is 'a disgrace', says promoter Bob Arum
Playing the game: Floyd Mayweather has yet to decide on his next opponent Credit: Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Amir Khan has been ritually humiliated by Floyd Mayweather and made a laughing stock, claims veteran promoter Bob Arum, who has even labelled Mayweather's actions "a disgrace".

Arum, who promoted Muhammad Ali and has overseen the rise of Manny Pacquiao, believes Khan will not get the fight with Mayweather he has been holding out for since November last year. Mayweather has stated that he will fight on May 3, but is refusing to announce his opponent yet.

Khan signed a contract to fight Mayweather this year, made that fact public last year and, in the last two weeks, the undefeated American has set up a poll on his Twitter account asking fans to vote on whether he should fight Khan, or Argentinian Marcos Maidana.

"What he has done to Amir Khan is absolutely disgraceful, whether he ends up fighting him, or he doesn't," Arum told Telegraph Sport in an exclusive interview from Macau, China, where his boxer, Zou Shiming, the former double Olympic gold medallist, fights this weekend.

"My feeling is he is not going to fight him, but it's disgraceful to do that to another human being because you are in a position to do that. Just because he has the power where you can do something like that.

"If a promoter did it, if a Bob Arum or a Frank Warren did it the press would be all over them. They have allowed Myweather to get away with this s***. It's terrible.

"They have twisted the kid in the wind. Mayweather should be ashamed of himself. He's not going to sign the contract. I think he will fight Maidana."

Arum's advice? Forget about the payday with undefeated Mayweather - boxing's No 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

"Cut your ties with these people, be a man," he said. "You were the great hope of England at one point. I have Olympic gold medal winners with me. The pride with which Vasyl Lomachenko and Zou Shiming carry themselves is astonishing."

Lomachenko, the double Olympic gold medallist, and one of the most decorated amateur fighters in history, is in action next weekend in San Antonio, Texas, fighting Orlando Salido for the WBO featherweight world title - only his second professional fight.

"These people will never be humiliated like that," Arum added. "Amir Khan has put himself in a position where he can be humiliated. He's like a laughing stock. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.

"He's not fighting back and telling these guys to get lost. Get another promoter, maybe go back to Frank Warren, get another opponent and tell them to p*** off."