WBC Silver welterweight title holder Amir Khan says a long-awaited British clash with Kell Brook is finally on the cards for 2020.
Despite several efforts failing, Khan now believes the battle can happen in the coming year, once both fought in 2019.
Khan last competed over the summer in Saudi Arabia, easily defeating an out-weighed Billy Dib at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
The Bolton man could potentially be ready by the spring of next year.
“I think it’s a great idea, definitely,” Khan told PepTalk UK. “I think both of us will be fighting end of the year. Then we see early next year that a fight between Kell and me can happen.
“We are both similar age. I think it’s a fight that we’ve been trying to make for a very long time. I think it’s getting very close to it now.
“I’ve worked with Eddie Hearn for a couple of my previous fights. I think going back and working with him on this fight against Kell Brook will be massive.
“We are in talks with Eddie and Kell’s team, so hopefully, we can make that fight happen.
“It’s a fight that the public wants. It’s a massive fight in Britain, so let make it happen.”
???? Dave Thompson
Brook, on the other hand, is a different story entirely.
As WBN first reported on June 17 of this year, Brook might not come back if no big fights came his way.
Possibly facing US star Terence Crawford collapsed just a short time after Khan beat the Sheffield man to the punch.
Without a fight since December and no meaningful outing since March 2018, ‘The Special One was stuck in a rut.
Turning to old trainer Dominic Ingle for support, Brook is now back in training to return to action.
ISSUE
There’s one BIG problem, though. Khan is insisting the blockbuster happens at 147 pounds.
It’s been two and a half years since Brook made that weight limit. His lifestyle outside the ring has seen him hit middleweight and above during time between camps.
The longer this process goes on, the more unlikely it is for Brook to hit the welterweight target. The truth is, the weight was draining for him as far back as 2015 and 2016.
Motivation plays a massive part in Brook’s training psyche, so having a deal in place with Khan early could be beneficial for preparations.
Any fight in 2019 for Brook would surely be at 154 pounds. Brook may then need at least one more bout in quick succession to get down further in weight.
This means the summer of next year would be more likely for any Khan v Brook encounter. But still leaves a major question mark on the weight stipulation.
To completely ensure the fans get what they have craved for years, Khan may have to be willing to bend on a potential catchweight.
A scaling of around 150 to 152 pounds with an added hydration clause would be more realistic for Khan to get Brook inside those ropes.