AMIR Khan maintains Floyd Mayweather avoided fighting him during his illustrious career.

The Bolton fighter long chased a clash with one of the greatest of all time, only for the five-weight world champion to take a different option each time.

Mayweather sporadically teases a return but is currently happily retired with a perfect record of 50-0, his last fight coming against MMA star Conor McGregor in August 2017.

Khan, currently plotting his next move as he enters the final stage of his career, was asked by BT Sport to pick his dream opponent from any era.

While others stepped back in time to pick a fantasy clash, the 33-year-old Olympic silver medallist looked to one that got away for him.

“I’ve always thought I could have Floyd Mayweather’s number,” Khan said.

“I knew in the back of my mind I could have the beating of him.

“Styles make fights and that’s just one fight he avoided and didn’t want.”

Khan did come agonisingly close to getting the fight that every elite fighter craves.

In 2013 he signed a contract to face ‘Money’ and made that public, something which he has admitted in recent years potentially counted against him.

Mayweather would instead go on to face Marcos Maidana twice, in May and September of 2014, Khan having beaten the Argentinian with one of the best displays of his career four years earlier.

Waiting on his dream fight also saw the Bolton fighter pass on a title opportunity against then IBF world welterweight champion Devon Alexander.

Elsewhere, Khan will have his eyes on long-time rival Kell Brook when he returns to the ring against American Mark DeLuca in his hometown of Sheffield on February 8.

The 33-year-old, who did not fight at all in 2019, has vowed to call it quits if he does not pick up a 39th professional win against the unheralded visitor.

Should he come through a clash with Khan could finally come to pass or he could go in search of a another world title at either welterweight or super-welterweight, Brook having campaigned at both 147lb and 154lb.