Amir Khan: 'I know that I am quicker than Floyd Mayweather'

Amir Khan has blazingly fast hands, and nobody really disputes that. In fact, when he says he may be faster than Floyd Mayweather, it's not a totally absurd statement. Sure, Mayweather does lots of other things better than Khan (some much better), but as far as pure speed goes, Khan may indeed be faster than Floyd these days.

Khan (28-3, 19 KO) believes that will give him something of major value if he does get the fight he wants with Mayweather (45-0, 26 KO) in 2014:

"You have to use your speed. He needs to fight someone as quick as him and I know that I am quicker than him. He is an amazing tactician but I know my speed will count against him - that is something I believe in 100 per cent. nI want to fight him because he is a great fighter and I want to fight the best there is out there.

"Beating him would make me the best fighter on the planet - 100 per cent. He is a tactician and looks great in the ring. I am not saying I will knock him out but I have the speed to overcome him."

At one time in his career, Khan, 26, did look like a potential stiff test down the line for Mayweather, but we're a bit removed from that short period. Amir's chin has betrayed him badly in two of his three losses to Breidis Prescott and Danny Garcia, and he's more than had his hands full in fights with Lamont Peterson (his other loss), Marcos Maidana, and most recently, Julio Diaz. Peterson, Maidana, and Diaz aren't exactly Mayweather. None of those guys are, in fact. No one is, really.

There is something to Khan's scouting here; a fighter with the real hand speed to beat Floyd to the punch and keep him more at bay may in fact be one of the keys in cracking the code, so to speak. But does Khan have the other necessary skills to get the job done? I'm positive that's where most lose the track on Khan's potential conquering of Floyd.

Khan appears headed first for a December 7 fight against Devon Alexander, who says he won't even let Khan get to Mayweather, and frankly, that may be the case. Alexander is no pushover for anyone, and Khan has lost to lesser fighters. It is widely believed that if Khan does beat Alexander, he will likely be Floyd's opponent on May 3, 2014.