By Jim Dower: Amir Khan defeated Samuel Vargas by a 12 round decision on Saturday night, and he then told the fans that he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao next. However, Khan’s promoter Eddie Hearn gave him an ultimatum that he either faces Kell Brook (37-2, 26 KOs) next or he can forget about the fight ever taking place.
Hearn only has a three-fight deal with Hearn, and his final fight of the deal will be up in December. It’s unclear whether Khan owes Hearn one big mega-fight out of the three-fight deal. It’s clear that Hearn isn’t satisfied with Khan fighting Pacquiao. He wants Khan to fight Brook, who he also promotes.
The money is clearly better for Hearn if Khan fights Brook rather than Pacquiao. Khan getting knocked down by a limited fighter like Vargas was a really bad sign. It shows that Khan is essentially done as a word class fighter. There’s not a champion that Khan can beat at this point if he’s going to fight like he did tonight against Vargas. Khan’s legs looked like jelly tonight when he was getting hit hard by Vargas.
Hearn didn’t say why the Khan-Brook fight must fight next, but it’s likely that he’s worried that Khan will lose his next fight if he faces Pacquiao. Once that happens, the money fight against Brook will be impossible. Under those circumstances, the Khan vs. Brook fight won’t be nearly as big. Hearn doesn’t seem to realize that Khan doesn’t want the Brook fight. Hearn has been after Khan since he signed him to take the fight with Brook in December, but now it looks like he’s not going to take no for an answer from the Bolton native. This could end badly if Hearn tries to push Khan to fight someone he doesn’t want to fight.
Khan defeated Vargas (29-4-2, 14 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision tonight at the Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, England. The scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 119-108. Khan knocked Vargas down in rounds 2 and 3. Khan was knocked down in round 2 in an exciting back and forth round.
”Amir has made it clear that he wants Pacquiao or Brook,” Hearn said after the Khan vs. Vargas fight fight tonight. ”It [Khan vs. Brook] has to happen next or it never happens. So it’s up to these guys. There’s only so much we can do. We’re listening to the people. I know Amir Khan wants Manny Pacquiao, and it’s now or never for the Kell Brook fight. So we’ll see what happens. We’ll sit down and make the best decision for the both of you,” Hearn said.
Hearn probably realizes that if Khan fights Pacquiao, then here won’t be a Brook fight for him because he’ll lose toe the Filipino star.
Khan was lucky to get past Vargas tonight because he just as easily could have lost the match if the 10th round had lasted a little longer. Vargas hurt Khan with a right hand in the final seconds of the 10th, but he didn’t have enough time to stop him. A tired out Khan was on his bicycle in the 11th and 12th rounds to keep from getting hurt again.
”Who do you want me to fight next? Manny Pacquiao or Kell Brook” Khan asked the crowd at ringside. ”There is a massive demand for me but there is only one fighter over Kell Brook and that is Manny Pacquiao. I want Manny Pacquiao first! If it’s not Pacquiao, we go back to the drawing board and then look at Brook,” Khan said.