Two British fighters and stern adversaries, are once again (and for what seems the umpteenth time) being talked up as possible opponents. Current IBF world welterweight champion, Kell ‘Special K’ Brook, and fellow countryman Amir ‘King’ Khan, are once more the lips of UK fight fans.
Kell Brook (35-0, 24 KO) has publicly chased the proposed bout against Khan for a number of years without a semblance of his rival giving the Sheffield based man any kind of food for thought. Amir ‘King’ Khan (31-3, 19 KO) has looked to avoid any legitimate threat to his suspect chin ever since his stoppage loss to Danny Garcia back in 2012. Khan looked very shaky at times against Julio Diaz, and even more so against the very skilled, but ultimately light punching Chris Algieri.
Matchroom Sports owner, Barry Hearn, has recently come out to give his thoughts on Amir Khan avoiding Kell Brook, by opting to base himself in America, thus avoiding facing Kell Brook. “I know Pacquiao well and Bob Arum is a friend of mine,” Matchroom founder Hearn said to Sky Sports. “I asked Arum what percentage of a chance does Khan have of fighting Pacquiao?’ Arum said ‘less than one per cent’. He had no chance.”
Barry Hearn continued, “I’m very disappointed because Khan has been almost impossible. He doesn’t seem to want to fight anybody. Being in America is an excuse. I’m getting more optimistic because one-by-one, all of Khan’s alternatives are disappearing. At the moment for Khan to fight someone in the States, unless it’s Bradley or a top fighter, he’s only going to get a million or a million-and-a-half dollars. For him to fight Brook he’ll make three or four times more so it comes down to risk and reward. He doesn’t want to fight Brook. He was gambling that he’d get a bigger payday but he’ll get a lot of money for fighting Brook — but he may get beaten, and I think he probably will.”
Promoters often come out with such tactics to belittle an opposing fighter, to try and embarrass said fighter and goad the opponent into the ring. In this case, I find that the statement Barry Hearn has made to be nothing but the truth. If Amir Khan faces a threatening puncher, prior to what the Bolton native has been holding out for (or making it look like that) he may well get knocked out, then the whole charade of hoping to get this big payday against either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao would likely never come to fruition.
The knock on effect of this whole scenario would be Khan having to go with his tail between his legs to get the long awaited match up against Kell Brook. If Khan did somehow manage to land the bout against Mayweather or Pacquiao and was decisively beaten, there is no shame in that and the Brook fight would always be there. If Khan was knocked out against a lesser name prior to facing Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, ‘King’ Khan’s stock would plummet at breakneck speed.
With all this said and done, I am not saying Amir Khan is a coward, but it does seem to me he is afraid to lose the revenue. But then again, all the shenanigans Khan appears to be pulling, are just making the man look very foolish. Amir Khan, in the time he has been waiting around for a big name fight in America, could have taken three or four lesser names and still made some decent money from those fights. It’s a baffling situation for most, albeit a very intriguing one.
Khan knows it’s the end after this fight
Great article points well made
Cheers Rob mate.
Keep up the good work pal. Enjoying your work.
Fuck no’s wat khan’s problem is he’s got a chance of making alot of money fight at Wembley must be scared of losing
Damn right if he was to lose this fight I think his career would be on a downward spiral!
This is a very pro Kell Article. Does not mention the lack of quality of Kells opponents, imagine if Kahns last 3 fights were against Frankie Gavin, JoJo Dan and Kevin Bizier he would be a laughing stock. Fact of the matter is Kell needs Kahn for a Payday. Kahn doesn’t need the money so if he did fight kell it would be purely for the fans.
Of course its a pro Brook article. Who’s trying to make the fight?!
And yes, Brook hasn’t fought anyone since his injury, what do you expect after that?
Do you know anything about mandatory defences under the IBF regulations?
If Brook fought Chris Algieri, Carlos Molina, Luis Collazo and Julio Diaz, would he be considered a laughing stock too?
Algieri couldn’t punch a hole through a wet paper bag. And the man had Khan in trouble at various times.
The worst kind of boxing fans on this planet are Pacquiao fans and a close second by Khan fans. Please open your eyes.
Thanks.
Michael Readman, Why the hell you involved Pacquiao fans in this discussion? The subject is about Khan and Brook. You must have had some tough arguments with Pacquiao fan or you must be a die hard Floydie fanatic. Move on.
Far from it sir. I’m a Manny fan. I dont single out any fighters.
I am a fan of the sport, not individuals.
The kind of individual fans that Manny has, are just that (for the main part) they only support one fighter. No one else comes into the conversation.
Just my thoughts, and I am not alone in that.
Calling people Pactards or Floydiots or whatever you care to call said fighters fans, is just childish.
It doesn’t really matter who you’re a fan of I’m not particularly a Khan fan but I appreciate what he’s achieved in the sport. I appreciate Kell’s got the talent but you cant argue with the fact he has the worst resume of any welterweight world champ. Even Algieri’s who ‘couldn’t punch a hole through a wet paper bag’ is better.
But it seems the match room way these days fighting bum after bum building up a good record and getting a world title shot. You’re probably a big fan of their shows and think Eddie is the saviour of boxing. Unfortunately its more about making money than putting on a good show which us as the fans lose out.
Maybe he should have another year of easy fights make sure that injury’s fully healed without risk of losing a belt that nobody seems interested in. I wouldn’t expect him to take a hard fight being a world champion. Or maybe I should open my eyes and realise these fights he’s in are world class and he’s the best there’s ever been. Thanks 😉
Hahahahaha!!!
You seem a reasonable dude. Think i got the wrong impression with you.
For that, if I offended you, I apologise.
You make some fair points.
Mate, believe you me, I am no ‘Hyperoom’ lover, nor Eddie Hearn worshipper!!
Trust me on that one, brother!
If you’re on Twitter, check my posts out, I’m far from a Matchroom ‘Barn-Burner’ believer!! 😉
@miguelredders is my twitter handle.
Cheers.
Peace dude.
Just a side note.
People always seem to go on about who people have fought, and said fighters record.
I tend not to focus too much on the previous opposition, but more what my eyes tell me.
Yes, a record can mean a lot, but fighters who have something, seem to stand out to me.
I’m not blowing my own trumpet, but I seem to be able to see things that many dont.
I will make a few points from a few recent bouts………..
People were saying Luis Ortiz hasn’t fought anyone, (and this is what I was eluding to with the class of opposition said fighter has faced)
Ortiz to me was always gonna KO Jennings, even with the solid chin Bryant Jennings has.
I backed it up with a bet on Ortiz via KO.
Pretty clear call for me.
Tyson Fury vs Wlad…..Fury was always gonna go for the points win. Saying he’s not going to Germany to scrape a points win, was mind games.
I backed Fury via points at 13/1. Easiest money I’ve ever made!
Likewise, Fury hadn’t really fought any world level operators.
And finally, Billy Joe Saunders vs Andy Lee.
I backed Bill on points.
I couldn’t see Andy Lee having enough to get Billy in trouble, even though Lee, had fought the more rounded, higher opposition at world level.
This was not as conclusive as I thought, but still a pretty decisive win.
I was panicking on my bet when Bill decked Lee!! 🙂
Sometimes the record can mean a lot, and others, pretty much nothing.
Cheers.
Still riding ya bike around eston off your barnet mick?
At the end of the day the governing body for boxing should make these people fight, the fans want big fights so why all the chasing around, everyone should be worried about their career in the ring but when it’s all said and done who pays to watch either ringside or pay per view! The fans…. Without loyal fans running up and down the country they wouldn’t have anything to fight for, Khan is afraid of losing and Brooke isn’t. Good luck to them both.
There is no governing body in the sport of boxing. This is the problem.
As long as there is money to be made for the masses, it will never change.
Been going on for over a century.
I agree with the Brook Khan comment.
Thanks.