FORMER UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPION AMIR KHAN TO FACE
WBA INTERNATIONAL WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION LUIS COLLAZO IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF “THE MOMENT: FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. MARCOS MAIDANA”
LAS VEGAS – An explosive matchup of two world-class fighters is coming to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 3, when British superstar and former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Amir “King” Khan faces Brooklyn native and WBA International Welterweight Champion Luis Collazo in the 12-round welterweight co-main event of “THE MOMENT: Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana” on SHOWTIME PPV.
A media conference call featuring both fighters is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. Additional details to follow this announcement.
“I’m looking forward to fighting in Las Vegas once again, and my intention on May 3 is to make a statement that I belong on this big stage,” said Khan. “Luis Collazo might be coming off of a big win, but I am in incredible shape and am ready for this challenge. A win on May 3 is what I need to prove that I truly am one of the best welterweights in the sport.”
“Defeating Victor Ortiz in January was just the beginning,” said Collazo. “Facing and beating Amir Khan on the biggest stage in the sport is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will take full advantage of this and put myself in the best position to face the winner of the main event. I hope Khan is ready because Brooklyn is coming to take him down.”
“Both Amir Khan and Luis Collazo have made it known that they want a shot at the winner of the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana, so what better way for them to prove that they’re next in line than by fighting on “THE MOMENT” card on May 3?” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “These are two exciting former world champions and this fight has the potential to steal the show.”
“Amir Khan and Luis Collazo are aggressive boxers who deliver excitement and fan-friendly action in every fight,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®. “With the addition of this main event-caliber co-feature bout, boxing’s biggest night of the year has become even bigger. Mayweather vs. Maidana and Khan vs. Collazo is a spectacular one-two punch for boxing fans.”
A British standout who represented his nation in the 2004 Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal, Bolton’s Amir “King” Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) went from local hero to international star when he won his first world title at 140 pounds in 2009. After five successful defenses that included wins over Marcos Maidana, Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah, Khan lost his title by way of a controversial decision to Lamont Peterson in 2011. Winner of two straight over Carlos Molina and Julio Diaz since, the flashy, flamboyant 27-year-old boxer-puncher is now campaigning at welterweight, where he seeks championship gold once again.
Brooklyn’s Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs) has long been one of New York’s finest exports, a slick boxer who isn’t afraid to get into the trenches and slug it out. Collazo is a former WBA Welterweight World Champion and currently holds the WBA International Welterweight Title. No stranger to facing the elite in his weight class, he has squared off against fighters such as Jose Antonio Rivera, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley and Andre Berto. Collazo took nearly two years off from the ring, but since returning in 2011, he has won five of six bouts, including four straight. This past January, he made the statement of a lifetime with a blistering second-round knockout victory over favored former world champion Victor Ortiz, and he has similar plans for Khan on May 3.
“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” a 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts and AT&T. In the co-main event, Amir Khan faces Luis Collazo in a 12-round bout for Collazo’s WBA International Welterweight title. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and is the third fight of Mayweather’s lucrative multi-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc.
Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000 and $750, not including applicable service charges and taxes are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information go to, visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @amirkingkhan, @realluiscollazo, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #TheMoment and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions , www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.
