Kell Brook Taunts Amir Khan, Demands 'Serious Scrap' After Diego Chaves Fight
IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook has hit out at compatriot Amir Khan, insisting he’d “shatter” the chin of his domestic rival in a "serious scrap" should the two ever face off.
Brook was speaking to Sky Sports’ Ringside (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com) after it was announced he would be facing Diego Chaves in Sheffield on October 24. Naturally, the prospect of an all-British showdown against Khan came up when Special K was quizzed by the media.
“I've heard he's willing to sit down and make that fight, but like you said that's just talk,” Brook said. Everybody knows that I'm there to make that fight happen. It's a massive fight. There is bad blood. Everybody knows that we would have a serious scrap.”
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It’s a bout which has the potential to be the biggest in the history of British boxing. Brook goes into his fight with Chaves on the back of some exemplary performances and with an immaculate record of 35 wins from 35 professional bouts.
Brook has beaten Jo Jo Dan and Frankie Gavin emphatically this year, and while Chaves, who recently nabbed an impressive draw against Timothy Bradley, will be a step up in class, the man from Sheffield is destined for the very top. Beat his next opponent convincingly and 2016 is likely to be a massive year for Brook.
By comparison, according to FightNights.com, there’s an onus on Khan to step up and fight Brook after he was dodged by Floyd Mayweather:
Indeed, Khan needs to move on from Mayweather, who ignored pleas from the Brit for a bout, choosing to fight Andre Berto in his final fight instead. A fight against Brook would certainly be a litmus test for the 28-year-old, who has made some positive recent strides with victories over Chris Algieri, Devon Alexander and Luis Collazo.
Brook thinks he’d definitely get the better of things should the pair ever square off, though, per Chaykovsky’s piece:
"He's been bugging Mayweather for the fight for years, he hasn't got the fight, so what's the next fight that's bigger—me and Khan.
I've said it from day one. I've said it that his whiskers are delicate and when this brownie hits his chin, it's going to shatter and he's going to do that dance that he likes to do. His whiskers are delicate. He's brittle. He's Bambi on ice....all rolled into one.
"
Although Khan has shown a renewed fortitude when it comes to his chin recently, there have been times when a couple of big blows have sent him tumbling. The Brit was in complete control of this fight with Danny Garcia back in 2012, but the course of the bout was altered by one left hook from Swift:
There’s little doubt the Brook-Khan fight will eventually happen given the potential prestige and platform it would provide for the victor. But it’s about timing, and although it’s clear Brook wants the fight as soon as possible, for Khan, it’s understandable other options are being pursued—especially with a fight against Mayweather potentially on the table.
One more bout for each fighter should be enough to set up this massive showdown. Brook will find it tough against a gritty Chaves, but his class will eventually shine through, while Khan’s next opponent remains something of a mystery. Should they both impress, a British superfight looks like an inevitable next step, and for the winner, some tantalising opportunities beckon.
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