For years there were promotional differences, networks differences and a lot of animosity - but the grudge match between Amir Khan and Kell Brook is now closer than ever.
Last week, Khan officially announced that he signed a three fight promotional pact with Eddie Hearn, who is the lead promoter for Brook.
All of the parties involved have their minds in order on doing a Khan vs. Brook showdown, possibly by the end of 2018.
Khan (31-4, 19 KOs) has been out of the ring since May of 2016, when he moved up to a catch-weight of 155-pounds and was knocked out by then middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
He returns to the ring on April 21 against an opponent to be announced.
Brook (36-2, 25 KOs) has been out of the ring since last May, when he suffered a TKO defeat at the hands of Errol Spence. It was Brook's second consecutive defeat and also the second fight in a row where he suffered a orbital bone fracture that required surgery.
Brook will make his junior middleweight debut in March against Sergey Rabchenko.
According to Hearn, everyone is finally on the same page with respect to making the Khan vs. Brook fight happen.
“Great business is great business and this is a great move for everybody,” Hearn said to Boxing News. “This surprises a lot of people because there has been friction in the past and a lot of things have been said, particularly around failed negotiations to make the Kell Brook fight.
“It doesn’t take a genius to recognise that it brings the Brook fight closer. This isn’t a deal to make that fight happen, but it’s at the forefront of our minds to try and deliver that fight at the end of 2018. The barriers to make that in the past was the obvious animosity, but different networks and promoters too. Now all the barriers have gone, we’re all in this together.”
