For aging, faded fighters, sometimes it just takes finding a spark in the form of a rivalry to bring out one last bit of their former skills. That soft of brief resurrection of talent is what Amir Khan and Kell Brook are hoping to produce when they clash on Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester, England (1 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
The fight between Khan and Brook is overdue in the eyes of most, a product of a rivalry dating back to early in the careers of both men. Despite years of trash talk and bad blood, the fight never manifested, with bigger and better things always available. That's no longer true and there's no bigger fight available for either man than to finally step in the ring with each other.
Khan has always faced questions about his chin, a massive liability that has left him on the receiving end of brutal knockouts, sometimes against top names in the sport such as Canelo Alvarez, sometimes against Breidis Prescott-level fighters. At his best, Khan's skills have been enough to overcome his chin's fragility and he was able to produce a tremendous career in spite of it, including a run as a unified champion at super lightweight.
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including a complete preview of a busy weekend across both sports below.
Speaking at the press conference, Brook, a former middleweight world champion, made it clear he is looking to be the fifth man to knock Khan out, saying, "We're going to get a knockout. He's going on his face or back, either way."
"I don't like him, he don't like me, we're going to see an excellent fight… It goes back to the amateur days. He used to win championships at his weight and I was the one above," Brook said at the final press conference. "He did what he did in the Olympics. We always got promised we would fight down the line. But he said he didn't even know who I was. He's never given me that respect.
"He's definitely gonna sleep Saturday night when I smash him… After Saturday, nobody's going to be interested [in Amir Khan]. He can go to Dubai and do his thing, that's the end of it. We're going to get a knockout. He's going on his face or back, either way."
Brook's chin has seemed to fade in recent years, starting with his 2016 knockout loss to Gennadiy Golovkin. He was then knocked out by Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford in his next two shots at world titles.
"I'm worried about Kell's health after the beating I'm gonna be giving him," Khan said at the press conference. "It'll be something he's never had before. We are gonna definitely put him in his place. It's been a very long time -- 10 years, it's been going on. This is my time now to put him in his place. I think Kell's always been very obsessed with my career, like a fanboy. That's the honest truth. I've been living in his head for such a long time. It's been like that, but we just go in there, put the words aside. We've done enough talking. I just can't wait to get in the ring and do a job on him."
Elsewhere on the card, Natasha Jones and Chris Namus are set to battle for the vacant WBO women's super welterweight title. Jones has faced some of the best in and around the weight class as she looks for her first major title. Plus, prospect Germaine Brown looks to continue his build as he takes on Charlie Schofield in a super middleweight contest. And Bradley Rea is set to take on Craig McCarthy in a middleweight bout. Check out the full list of odds for Saturday along with a pick for the main event below.
Khan vs. Brook fight card, odds
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
| Favorite | Underdog | Weight class |
|---|---|---|
Kell Brook -160 | Amir Khan +135 | Welterweight |
Natasha Jones -1000 | Chris Namus +650 | WBO super welterweight title |
Germaine Brown -450 | Charlie Schofield +350 | Super middleweight |
Bradley Rea -1400 | Craig McCarthy +800 | Middleweight |
Prediction
There are plenty of reasons to be concerned for both men. Khan's chin is among the most fragile of his generation's top fighters and is only getting worse as he heads into career fight No. 40. Brook has his own punch resistance issues and has had to have both of his eye sockets surgically repaired while in the late stretches of his career. Peak vs. peak, Khan likely has the edge, but this isn't the peak for either man. Brook has always wanted this fight more than Khan and that may be enough to tilt the fight in his direction. If Khan can survive some early aggression from Brook, he may be able to pull away down the stretch. With Khan's chin, that's a big if. Pick: Kell Brook via TKO5
