Former world champion Amir Khan admits that he bit off more than he could chew when he jumped up by two weight divisions to challenge Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title in 2016.

Khan started off well, but Canelo eventually adjusted - and scored a brutal one-punch knockout in the sixth round.

The Bolton boxer explains that part of the reason he accepted the fight is because Floyd Mayweather continuously overlooked him. 

Back in 2014, Khan was one of the frontrunners to face Mayweather. But Mayweather would instead finalize a fight with Marcos Maidana, who Khan previously defeated.

Khan was featured on the undercard of Mayweather's first bout with Maidana, and he picked up a dominant win over Luis Collazo. Instead of facing Khan later in year, Mayweather would agree to a rematch with Maidana.

Sensing that he'd never secure Mayweather, Khan jumped on the opportunity to face Canelo.

“When [Golden Boy CEO] Oscar [De La Hoya] called me I couldn’t say no. Maybe I’m too brave for my own good. Mayweather was being a p-ssy and wouldn’t fight me so I said cool, let’s do it. It was a mismatch on paper. To be leading in the fight was amazing really. I earned his respect," Khan told iNews.

"Yes I got knocked out but he is one of the best Mexican fighters of all time. I weighed in on the night at 158 pounds, he was 187. It was crazy. At the weigh-in he didn’t seem that big but when I saw him in the corner I was thinking what am I doing here? He had his back to me. It was huge.”

Khan will return to the ring on February 19, when he faces bitter rival Kell Brook at the Manchester Arena.