By Edward Chaykovsky
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport has a very good feeling about a deal being reached for a 2016 domestic super bout between IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (35-0, 24KOs) and his division rival Amir Khan (31-3, 19KOs).
Khan was in the running to face Manny Pacquiao in April. There were some discussions and a deal never happened. It appears Pacquiao will select WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on Friday. Top Rank promote both Pacquiao and Bradley.
Hearn has been trying to make Khan-Brook for a very long time. Last week Khan finally stated that a Brook fight was possible for next summer - if Pacquiao passed him over. Now that Pacquiao has passed, Hearn feels very good about the possibility of a Khan-Brook deal being reached.
“Amir’s not got the Pacquiao fight,” said Hearn to Sport 360. “I always felt Brook is the obvious choice, but Mayweather and Pacquiao were big fights for Khan and now they are not happening.
“I have said to Amir that if we don’t get this sorted in the next couple of weeks we will miss the boat for a summer fight. Brook one million percent wants the fight, now I believe Khan wants the fight, so we will meet next week and I believe we will get the deal done.”
Before a deal can be made, Brook has to make a mandatory defense against Kevin Bizier and Khan is probably going to fight in either January or February.