Thursday 28 July 2016 11:56, UK
Amir Khan has reiterated that he would "love to take on" Conor McGregor in a mixed martial arts fight.
McGregor, the UFC featherweight champion, has been involved in very public negotiations to take on retired boxing great Floyd Mayweather for several months.
Khan had previously stated his willingness to step into the cage with McGregor, saying he felt the proposed contest with Mayweather was little more than a publicity stunt.
But the British fighter's proposal could have moved a step closer to happening with another publicly-stated desire for a match - should McGregor agree to such an idea.
"I'll go and fight Conor McGregor just to prove I'm a real man. I'm not one to back away, I've never backed away from any fight and I never will," said Khan, a former unified WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion.
"Conor seems to have the same kind of attitude as well, so maybe that's something that in the future that can happen. I say why not? I would definitely step into the Octagon with him. Conor, you're a big name and let's make this fight happen. I'd love to take him on. If Conor wants it, let's have it."
Khan, whose most recent appearance in a boxing ring ended with a defeat to Saul Alvarez in May, believes he would need a year to train for a fight with McGregor.
"Even if I started to train for MMA next year, I'd only be 30 years old," he said.
"I could stop and train for a full year and become a good MMA fighter. It's in our blood to fight. 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."