Who will Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight in May 2015? Theories Point to Manny Pacquiao or Amir Kahn

Jul 03, 2014 08:44 PM EDT

With Floyd Mayweather Jr. announcing a mystery opponent for May 2015, speculation suggests that the WBA/WBC welterweight champion will be dueling with either Manny Pacquiao or Amir Kahn.

Rumors began circulating last Monday when Mayweather revealed that he was fighting Marcos Maidana on Sept. 13, during the BET awards on Sunday.

"Then in May, I'll have a big surprise [fight] for you," Mayweather said, according to The Sweet Science.

On May 3 this year, Mayweather defeated Maidana in a match at the MGM Grand -- making the upcoming fight a rematch. Observers have not come to a general consensus on the identity of Mayweather's surprise opponent in 2015.

"Amir Kahn is a possible opponent for Mayweather next May," argues Martin Domin, of the UK Daily Mail.

Curiously, Kahn recently said he wanted to fight Pacquiao in November this year, before going after Mayweather.  

"But boxing is a business and I want to fight him [Pacquiao] and beat him and then fight Floyd Mayweather in May next year. That's my target," the Briton said on Monday, according to The National. "I'm ready to fight wherever, whether it's in [Las] Vegas or Macau or Dubai."

Other commentators are skeptical.

"There's only one opponent that could fit the description of it being a 'big surprise' and that's Manny Pacquiao," writes Chris Williams, from BoxingNews24. "Mayweather couldn't be talking about Amir Khan, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, Erislandy Lara or Keith Thurman as a big surprise, because he's already beaten Canelo and Cotto, and the other fighters bring nothing to the table."

Mayweather remains the undefeated champion in 46 professional fights, and has knocked out 26 opponents within those matches.