Manny Pacquiao could face Amir Khan in Dubai in 2016 'rumble in the desert'

Manny Pacquiao could face Amir Khan next year after promoter Bob Arum revealed that he has been approached over the possibility of staging such a high-profile contest in Dubai.

The Filipino was defeated on points by unbeaten welterweight rival Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on 3 May and revealed in the aftermath of the lucrative bout that he had suffered a right shoulder injury during the build-up that subsequently required surgery.

With an extended period of recovery for 'Pacman' ahead following that procedure to correct a torn rotator cuff, Arum does not expect the likable 36-year-old to return to action until 2016 and a possible rematch of the 'Fight of the Century' now appears highly unlikely.

"I just had a delegation in from Dubai trying to talk to me about a Manny Pacquiao fight some time early next year in Dubai," he reportedly told The Telegraph. "That would be interesting.

"One of the names they suggested as an opponent is Amir Khan. That would be a possibility. We'll have to see. I would think that Manny, if everything goes right with the surgery, would look to be back in early 2016, maybe in Dubai. I don't want to rush him.

"Apparently there's great interest from Dubai in doing big-time boxing there. With the Emirates airline making regular flights from the UK to Dubai, it's a great place for British fight fans to watch a fight."

Khan, despite being challenged by fellow Briton Kell Brook following the latter's victory over Jo Jo Dan, was unmistakably clear in the build-up to Pacquiao's fight with Mayweather over his intention to eventually challenge the winner.

Mayweather has one match remaining in September as part of his contract with Showtime and CBS and although his father had previously disparagingly dubbed Khan as a 'good opponent' for his son's swansong, the date appeared to present a significant hurdle to any agreement due to a conflict with Ramadan.

The Bolton native has since stated that he believes he could have enough time to prepare sufficiently for what would be comfortably the sternest test of his professional career to date, yet he also claims he is no longer content to chase the prospect of a meeting with world's top pound-for-pound fighter as he may have done in the past.

Khan, who takes on American journeyman Chris Algieri at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on 29 May, has previously trained with Pacquiao as a former member of renowned trainer Freddie Roach's impressive stable and would presumably be open to a potential bout if he is unable to face Mayweather.