By Edward Chaykovsky

Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum is hoping Manny Pacquiao does not select Amir Khan to be his next opponent in early 2016.

Pacquiao is still reviewing his options, which include Khan, WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

Two of those names, Bradley and Crawford, are promoted by Arum. Obviously he would rather have Pacquiao select a Top Rank fighter.

Khan is advised by Al Haymon, who is currently being by Arum's company. If Pacquiao selects Khan, Arum is willing to overlook Khan's association with Haymon.

The veteran promoter is not expecting Khan to get selected. It appears Crawford is the current frontrunner to get that fight. Bradley, while also under consideration, has campaigned for his good friend Crawford to get that shot. Bradley has already been in the ring with Pacquiao twice. He won a controversial twelve round split decision in 2012 and then lost a decision in their 2014 rematch.

"I purposely kept myself out of it because at this point it doesn't matter who Manny picks," Arum said to ESPN. "Would I prefer it not to be Khan? Yes, but this is Manny's last fight. I have a duty to him to present him all of the options. Do I hope he doesn't pick Khan though? Of course [because I don't promote him], but I don't think he will pick Khan. Khan was an option when we considered having this fight in April in the Middle East, so he was a guy on the table. Now the Middle East is not on the table, but he's still one of the guys on the table."