Amir Khan was never ‘asleep on the floor’ when trading blows with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao during their years working with top trainer Freddie Roach.
Firstly, the 33-year-old was forced to issue the denial through WBN on Wednesday after an ex-gym-mate, Dean Byrne, put out what Khan says is a false statement.
Byrne described rumors which filled the Wild Card Gym as Khan and Pacquiao trained alongside each other during the early 2010s.
“I didn’t see it myself,” he told Sky Sports. “Khan was all over the place on many occasions and everybody at the gym knows it.
“I heard stories that he was asleep on the floor. I have heard that (happened),” he added.
The Irishman continued: “Khan’s chin is just like that. He is a great fighter, a great athlete, a super boxer, his hand speed is so fast. But his chin? He hasn’t got a good chin.
“You can’t put muscles on your chin. Freddie wanted him to get in, get out, get in, get out. But Khan stays in the pocket for too long to please the crowd.
“Then he comes unstuck because of his chin.”
AMIR KHAN VS MANNY PACQUIAO
It didn’t take Khan long to respond. He stated: “I’ve been seeing reports that I got put down by Manny Pacquiao in sparring, which is not true,” Khan exclusively told World Boxing News.
“I have had some great sparring sessions. “I always look back at the times I had at the Wildcard Boxing Gym in Los Angeles.
“Manny was a great fighter and still is a great fighter. We must have done 300 or 400 rounds of sparring, and I never put down on him or hurt by him in any way. We had some great sparring sessions.
“I was never put down or put to sleep by Manny Pacquiao. It’s ridiculous some of the comments I’ve been reading.
“Look, no disrespect to Manny. We had some very competitive sparring sessions,” he said.
The Bolton man is still chasing a possible fight with Pacquiao once the coronavirus outbreak subsides.
Both fighters are expected to remain out of action until fans return.
