Promoter Eddie Hearn hopes that Kell Brook will face Amir Khan next after he recovers from ‘horrific’ stab wounds.

The Sheffield fighter was due to make a first defence of his IBF welterweight title in December, but there were concerns for his future after he suffered a serious leg injury in the attack while on holiday in Tenerife.

Brook has been cleared to continue his career after a successful operation, although he is expected to be sidelined until next year due to lengthy rehabilitation.

Talks with Khan’s camp about a future fight have already taken place and Hearn is prepared to scrap Brook’s warm-up bout as he presses ahead with plans for the British battle.

Speaking to the Toe 2 Toe podcast, Hearn said: “Maybe now we push for the Khan fight straight away.

“We can push for it straight off the bat in the spring. I think it’s a makeable fight and of course it’s one that everyone wants to see.

“Yeah I’ve talked lots to his advisors, mainly Al Haymon and his group. There is definite interest, of course there will be. It’s a massive fight financially.

“From my point of view, I would love to make the Khan fight. I just think it’s a wonderful fight, another huge fight for Britain – and it makes sense.

“The numbers are there, we will continue to explore them and potentially push for the Khan fight next.”

Brook was crowned as champion after a composed points win over Shawn Porter and sits alongside Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in the division's list of champions.

But Hearn feared the Sheffield fighter would never defend the belt when he first visited him in hospital.   

“It was a really bad injury that he received, the scars will be horrific, but we had some great news from the doctors, who performed the operation on him,” said Hearn.

“There’s no damage to the ligaments or the tendons in that leg which is very, very important. A little bit of muscle damage, but genuinely they expect him to make a full recovery. He’s very, very lucky.

“It’s a horrific injury and he will need to do a lot of rehab around that, but when I first saw it, my concern was for his future and his career.

“But they are very confident that he will return to full strength in that leg, with the right rehab, and probably looking at a return in February or March, which is two or three months later than anticipated.”