By Jeff Aronow: Gareth A. Davies says Kell Brook resembled a “devil’ inside the ring with the way he was attacking the out-sized and overpowered Amir Khan last Saturday night at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
Brook came into the ring with years of resentment built up inside him, and he was going to make sure he released his frustration onto Khan with full force.
It’s too bad for Brook that he had to wait ten years to get this fight, as a victory over Khan a decade ago, between 2010 to 2016, would have been massive for his career.
After Brook’s consecutive losses to Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr in 2016 and 2016, fans viewed him as a washed-up fighter.
Khan looked like he’d climbed into the ring from the audience and had no business in there with the hard-hitting Brook (40-3, 28 KOs), who had a considerable size advantage over him.
After Brook rehydrated, he looked like a small junior middleweight battling a light welterweight in Khan. There was no way the fight could be competitive given the size & power differences between the two.
Khan can’t remember Brook sparring sessions
“To be honest with you, Kell, I didn’t even remember the sparring sessions! I can’t remember me and Kell sparring, but it was a good storyline,” said Khan at the end of Saturday’s post-fight press conference in Manchester.
“A one-sided performance by Kell Brook over Amir Khan,” said Gareth A. Davies to iFL TV. “[Brook] Set the tone early on by hurting Amir, and was so patient, so clinical in there and was so focused. He was like a devil in there tonight.
“Amir Khan was the one grinning back at him. There was a mutual respect there after a couple of rounds. I’m glad to see Kell go over to Amir’s corner. I don’t know what he said to him. I hope it was sporting, but a brilliant night for Kell Brook.
“He put the bragging rights to sleep. It’s final now; it’s settled,” said Davies on the Khan vs. Brook rivalry.
The rivalry between Khan and Brook has been put to sleep, but it’s a hollow victory for Kell because it’s come so late in the game.
Khan hadn’t fought in three years before last Saturday’s fight, and he’s been viewed as over-the-hill since his knockout loss to Danny Garcia in 2012.
Khan vs. Brook would have been closer
“I always thought that we would have had a closer fight six years ago because Amir would have had a little more in him, but that’s always the way I thought the fight would go with Kell Brook beating Amir Khan,” said Gareth.
The Khan that fought Marcos Maidana in 2014 would have made it difficult for Brook to land his big power shots, as his mobility back then would have given Kell proper fits.
“That’s how I thought it would have gone in their peak, but the fight would have gone on a little bit longer. He was so fit; he was so determined. He [Khan] just wanted to go on,” said Gareth when asked if the fight should have been stopped earlier.
“Bomac, Brian McIntyre, [Khan’s coach] was poised with his white towel, ready to come in. I could see him across the ring apron. Amir Khan took so much punishment. The fifth round was brutal. I said in the broadcast, ‘He can’t take much more of this, and if he did, it was wrong.’
“Kell Brook proved his point tonight. He’s a dangerous fighter, yeah. Amir Khan, that’s probably the end for him. Had they started this 10-years-ago, they might have had a trilogy of fights.
“They might have had a couple of close ones, but props to Kell Brook tonight. He had to change his gloves in the ring as well before the contest.
“There were complaints about the horsehair gloves he had on. He had to put Grants on. There were complaints from the Khan [team]. Kell Brook still kept his focus and didn’t lose anything. It’s final; it’s settled, it’s done.
“It was a week of a lot of animosity. I thought some of the comments that were made; I felt they brought the sport to disrepute on Thursday with homophobic slurs and racist allegations. It’s wrong. They can’t do that. They’re 35-year-old men, and I’m pleased for them both.
“Amir Khan can hang up his head high, he was very brave in there tonight to stay on his feet, and Kell Brook deserves all the plaudits for doing what he did,” said Gareth.
