By James P Sexton: Amir Khan’s long run at trying to lure pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr into a lucrative pay-per-view bout seems to be at an end. Mayweather has said that Khan doesn’t have the name to generate the interest he is looking for.
If Khan can get neither Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao bouts who will be his next choice of opponent? Assuming he can and will move on from these bouts to other things, IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook would seem to be the next best thing.
Brook has called Khan out in the past and the all Brit showdown would create a huge event, likely something along the lines of a Froch-Groves showdown.
This is a fight that has been discussed in the past and even if it doesnt happen in their next fight, it is an option for both men down the line at some point. Having a world title on the line would only sweeten the deal and at this point there isn’t really any reason why it should not happen. My instincts tell me that Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Kell Brook will look to put his fighter in with an easier choice of opponent before putting him in with someone like Khan. The injury and the long layoff caused by it may have had some effect on Brook, and at this point he wouldn’t be blamed for a tune up bout at home before tackling the long list of big dogs looking for titles at 147.
Each man is looking for a fight against an opponent with a good name and also against someone who will provide a good payday, in this proposed bout both of these objectives would be met and you can only see big fights in future for the winner, but who that would be I don’t know. Khan has generally had better opposition thus far in his career with championship bouts against the likes of Danny Garcia, Lamont Peterson, Marcos Maidana and Paul Malignaggi, as well as faded but still talented Zab Judah and Marco Antonio Barrera. Brook has only had one title fight but looked impressive against undefeated Shawn Porter in August, he also brings an undefeated record with a long list of British and Inter-Continental title match-ups.
Even if this fight isn’t made for their next bouts, this is a match-up I would like to see, and after the retirement of Carl Froch, this could decide who the best active fighter out of the UK is.
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