Hearn Explains His Frustrations With Getting Khan To Face Brook

By Edward Chaykovsky

Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport has tried everything possible to make a fight between IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) and his domestic rival Amir Khan (31-4, 19 KOs).

The two sides were in negotiations for weeks and a deal appeared to be closer than ever - but then Khan stood firm on several of the fine points - specifically a deal-breaking 70-30 split of money.

According to Brook, Khan also insisted on walking out second and made demands for the fight to take place in his hometown of Bolton.

Because of Khan's demands, Brook will now head to a likely late May defense against mandatory challenger Errol Spence. The last time Brook saw action was in September, when he jumped up two weight divisions to suffer a stoppage loss at the hands of division ruler Gennady Golovkin.

The next move for Khan is unknown, but he does want a tuneup fight. Khan has been out of the ring since getting knocked out in six round last May by Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Khan had moved up to a catch-weight of 155-pounds to take that bout.

Hearn has serious doubts about the fight between Khan and Brook taking place in 2017.

"It is so frustrating because you go there and think you have got the chance to get the biggest pay day of your career - more money than you got to fight Canelo - and why don’t you want it? It is so obvious this fight. It is really not difficult to make it. This is a great fight. It makes him a huge amount of money," talkSPORT’s Kick Off Boxing.

“The only thing I can think of is Amir doesn’t want to lose to Kell Brook. It is one thing losing to Canelo but losing to Kell Brook is kind of like the end of his career. I have heard he wants a warm-up fight but these guys shouldn’t give him a warm-up fight. We don’t want a warm-up fight. We lost our last fight. Who wants to see a warm-up fight? No-one.  It is frustrating and I don’t think it is going to happen next."

Hearn says they are willing to budge on their split demand, which was 50-50 down the middle. More than likely Brook would be willing to go to 55-45 or even 60-40 in Khan's favor, but Hearn says Khan is standing in place on his demand to receive 70-30 of the financial take.

“lt’s not that there is a broadcast dispute with two different broadcasters or different promotional companies that can’t make a deal. It is all there, it is on the table. It is so straightforward, but they can’t pull the trigger on it because we are some way out. It is not a case of five percent or two-and-a-half per cent, it is twenty percent out of where we want to be at. We are willing to give but they are not," Hearn said.