AMIR Khan has opened the door for the first time for a mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao after a rift has developed between the two boxers’ representatives.

The stable-mates share the same Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and are both trained by Freddie Roach.

Khan and Pacquiao have always been good friends and the Bolton superstar has always been adamant they would never step into the ring together.

But relationships have thawed between the opposing camps, with Khan being banned from sparring with the Filipino, who is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and the two being forced to train at separate times.

Khan insists the tension has been caused by Pacquiao’s team and he has no problem with the boxer himself.

But the IBF and WBA light-welterweight king, who defends his titles against Lamont Peterson on Washington DC on December 10, believes Pac Man’s people could be trying to orchaestrate a future showdown between the duo.

“It’s strange,” said the 24-yearold Brit. “There’s tension in the camp. My team are cool and I’m just concentrating on Peterson but his team seem to be worried.

“His camp don’t want me sparring with him and now we train at different times. It’s like they’re keeping us apart.

“We still see each other when one comes and the other goes, and have a quick chat, but it’s not how it used to be.

“It’s like his people are thinking there could be a fight between us.”

Khan plans to move up to 147lbs after the Peterson clash and had targeted Floyd Mayweather Jr next year.

That is still the fight he would prefer but he admits a battle with eightweight world champion Pacquiao, aged 32, who defends his WBO title against Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on November 12, is now a possibility.

Khan said: “Manny’s never been on my radar. We’re good friends and I’d never want to put Freddie and Alex [Ariza, his conditioner] in that position.

“I would prefer to fight Mayweather but so many fights happened nowadays you just never know.”