By Edward Chaykovsky
Former world champion Amir Khan (31-4, 19KOs) believes a potential fight with IBF welterweight beltholder Kell Brook (36-1, 25KOs) is finally close to coming together.
Brook has been chasing the fight for several years, but Khan had little to no interest in the fight. After both boxers suffered stoppage wins by moving up in weight to take dangerous fights in 2016.
Khan moved up to a catch-weight of 155-pounds and was knocked out cold in the sixth round of his WBC middleweight title clash with Saul "Canelo' Alvarez, while Brook moved up two full divisions to 160-pounds and was stopped in five rounds by IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight world champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin.
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, who promote Brook, has confirmed there are ongoing discussions to face Khan, and the Bolton boxer has confirmed this as well.
Both Khan and Brook are now recovered after undergoing surgical procedures. Brook suffered a factored orbital bone in the loss to Golovkin and had surgery not longer after that fight. Khan had two surgeries on his right hand, to correct an problem that's been bothering him for several years.
"Talks are happening at the moment and we’re waiting on Brook’s team getting back to us. That fight will sell out a stadium, it’s the biggest fight in British boxing. It’s been talked about for so long but now it’s close," Khan told The Mirror.
Khan has talked about taking a comeback fight in April, possibly in the UK, and it won't be against Brook as there is already a Sky Sports Box Office fight on April 29th between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko - which is taking place at Wembley and that will take the full promotional attention of Hearn.
Brook is also under an order to make a mandatory defense against Errol Spence. That fight will have to happen unless he vacates his title, and with Brook make a decision by February on the matter.