By John F. McKenna (McJack): WBA/IBF light welterweight champion Amir Khan (26-1, 18 KO’s) who faces mandatory challenger Lamont Peterson (29-1-1, 15 KO’s) on December 10 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. is already eyeing up his next opponent. Khan’s fight with Peterson will be his last fight at light welterweight, after which he will move up to the welterweight division.

The rumors are flying that Khan is looking at the silver medalist from the Athens Olympics Kell Brook (25-0, 17 KO’s) as a possible opponent next spring. Amir has stated on more than one occasion that his goal is to face undefeated super star Floyd Mayweather Jr. towards the end of 2012.

Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn feels that Khan’s game plan may go awry if he underestimates his fighter. Hearn believes that Khan has never faced a fighter with the kind of “heavy hands” that Brook has.

The Daily Mirror quoted Hearn as saying:

“If Khan wants a big fight, and a big fight in Britain, then who better than against the new superstar in that division, Kell Brook?

“We’ve seen him wobbled at lightweight and at light welterweight, so is he ready for a fast, big puncher, where you don’t know where the punches are coming from at welterweight? That’s the question and we could find the answer against Kell.

“Anyway I don’t think Amir Khan is anywhere near a fight with Mayweather and I’m not sure Mayweather would really look at that fight.”

It is clear that Hearn is angling for his fighter to have a big money fight with Khan in the future. It is also clear that he wants the fight on his terms and that he wants to wait until Brook has won a world championship of his own. Kell will be making his debut in the U.S. when he takes on Luis Galarza on the undercard of the Carl Froch – Andre Ward fight in Atlantic City on December 17.

Presently Brook is rated at #6 in the world at welterweight and after he becomes a world champion Hearn believes that he would have the bargaining power and the drawing power to make a match with Khan. Hearn believes that a fight between Kell Brook and Amir Khan would be a natural and a huge sell in Britain.