By Eric Flaherty: Amir Khan plans on returning to the ring in October or November after a long 2 1/2 year layoff, and he says he believes a fight between him and his nemesis Kell Brook still sells.
Believe it or not, Khan believes his match with Brook will bring even “bigger” numbers than it would have years ago. That’s obviously hard to believe because neither has done anything special for ages.
Brook’s career hasn’t been the same since he suffered an eye injury against middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin in 2016. As for Khan, he never regained his championship form after losing consecutive fights to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia in 2012..
It would still be a risky fight for Khan because Brook (39-3, 27 KOs) has the power in either hand to do a number on him.
In Brook’s last fight against WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford in November 2020, he looked powerful despite melting down from 154 to 147. Before getting stopped in the fourth round, Brook’s heavy shots had swollen up Crawford’s face.
One can only imagine what Brook would have done to Crawford if he’d made it to the later rounds.
Khan in training for a comeback
“I want to be back in the ring towards the end of the year definitely. It could be October, November time. I’m back in training again,” said Khan to The Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.
The British boxing public will likely still be interested in seeing Khan vs. Brook, but as Eddie Hearn says, it won’t be anything like what it could have been years ago.
Khan made a mistake by not fighting Brook while the two of them were in their primes years ago because it would have made a fortune for both guys. They can still make money from the fight. Who knows? If it’s competitive, maybe Khan and Brook can run it back for a second clash.
Khan isn’t saying who he plans on fighting in October or November, but one would expect that it’ll be a non-contender. With his long layoff, it would be a mistake for him to take on a top-tier contender in the 147-lb division.
It’ll be interesting to see if Khan still possesses his hand speed after two and a half years out of the ring. That’s a lifetime for a lot of fighters. You’d have to assume that there will be some deterioration in Khan’s blazing speed with his layoff.
The former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Khan (34-5, 21 is no longer a relevant fighter in the 147-lb division due to his age, inactivity, and lack of wins over credible opposition.
Amir says Brook fight will sell
“We’re both British, and Kell always runs his mouth, and I think a lot of people want to just see me shut his mouth,” said Khan about Brook.
“When there’s drama involved, and there’s a bit of a story behind it, you know it’s only going to sell even bigger,” said Khan.
