The sport of boxing was suspended in the United Kingdom in January because of the increasing coronavirus cases due to the latest Omicron variant. The sport has returned with a great match in Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook. A grudge match will occur between Kell Brook and Amir Khan in under a couple of weeks on February 19. After many years of posturing and taunts, the Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook match is happening. The two British boxers will go all out against one another to find out who is the better boxer among them. The critics will say that the match is happening too late into their careers. This match should have taken place more than five years ago. The critics may have a valid point in this regard.
But the domestic rivals had a heated exchange of words at the press conference held a few months back to announce the Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook fight. This was a big reminder of the unquestionable and long-standing rivalry between the two fighters. The tension was clear between the both of them. Another trailer of their Gloves Is Off episode was released the next day, which increased the curiosity among the fans. Both the boxers have achieved a lot during their career. But that will not matter when they step into the ring against each other on the day of the match. The tickets for the match were sold out in under fifteen minutes.
Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook: Amir Sees an Easy Challenge
The Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook prediction is a very tough one. Both the boxers are bruised and battered from their lengthy careers. So, it is not easy to ascertain what each boxer will bring to the fight. But the early beginnings, punishing runs, and brutal spars are taking their toll on their bodies. None of the two boxers could have had a better rival to fight against at this stage of their careers. The long-standing rivalry also has interesting starts. Their careers crossed paths right when they were amateurs. They are regional neighbors and share the same year of birth. Brook is from Sheffield, and Khan resides in Bolton. So, they both have been on the radar of the other for a long time. The boxing veterans do not look like their younger selves any longer. But the amateur days remain a hot topic of discussion among them to this day. Amir Khan previously won an Olympic silver medal nearly twenty years ago. He was under the age of eighteen at that time. He says he easily overcame his upcoming rival when the two used to spar together as teenagers during practice.
Khan said, "I used to school him in Olympic training camp. The trainers used to say, 'just go in and use one hand against him today! You will see on February 19 how I school and play with this guy, just like in the early days. Why is it I got picked for the Olympic team? Because I was schooling Kell Brook with one hand. I'd ask, 'do you want the jab, left-hook, or uppercut,' and they'd say, 'just throw the jab.' Fighting for a pound-for-pound title would be amazing. It would be even better to win, so I think I'm in a position where I can get that fight with the pound-for-pound champion at the moment. The Brook fight is always going to be there. It's for no title, whereas I'm getting offered a world title and the pound for pound title, so why not? I think it comes down to how hard you've worked and how hard I've worked going into this fight. Obviously, with the great sparring, the great game plan that we have for this fight and just go in there and hurt Kell.”
“That's what I want to do. I don't want to go in there to just box him. I want to go in there to hurt him and to put him away. I mean, like I already said, he's already beaten, he's already got smashed up eye sockets, he's already been beaten, knocked out. So, you know what, this is the time now where I just finish him off, finish his career off, so he never needs to look at boxing again. This is going to be a nice payday for you, Kell Brook, so you just get this payday, walk off and leave this sport happy.”
Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook: Brook Thinks His Rival is Delusional
Brook thinks that his rival in the upcoming Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook match is delusional. This is because of Khan's version of the days when they trained together as amateurs. It has been the usual thread over these years. Brook has said that he wants to fight against Amir Khan. The latter says he will come down a level to go against him. Their careers have crossed paths with each other many times since their amateur days. Nearly thirteen years ago, Brook was still undefeated. He fought on the undercard as Amir Khan became the world champ and won the WBO light-welterweight title. Brook had even wished him good luck ahead of the crucial match. A few years later, they came together when appearing on a boxing-related show. Brook said that a fight between the two had to happen eventually. He said it was only a matter of time before he got the knockout against him. Amir Khan said that he would have to drop down many levels to make the fight happen.
The Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook match could have taken place some years later. Brook had the IBF welterweight belt with him. He had obtained it in a victory against Porter. Amir Khan had been defeated by Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson before defeating several former world champs upon traveling to the same weight class as Brook. Instead, he climbed a couple of weight classes and got knocked out by Canelo Alvarez. Brook also tried to become a boxing great by taking on the big Gennady Golovkin. In hindsight, it was a very bad decision. Both the boxers have said that there is a possibility that this could be their last boxing match. But Brook has said in the previous month that a rematch clause has been inserted into the fight contract.
The match has been a long time in the making. But now, we can expect a couple of these matches within a year. This is because of the rematch clause. The Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook prediction is that the match will be very tightly contested between two closely matched rivals. Brook said, "He gets destroyed. He gets beat like I've been telling you for years,” He added. “He's getting beat. He never wanted this fight. It's me who's wanted this fight for the fans. They've got the fight now. He's always had it his own way, even in the negotiations, but he does not have his own way in two weeks."
Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook (12 rounds - catchweight, 149lbs)
Natasha Jonas vs. Ewa Piatkowska (10 rounds - super-welterweight)
Bradley Rea vs. Craig McCarthy (8 rounds - middleweight)
Viddal Riley vs. TBA (4 or 6 rounds - cruiserweights
Adam Azim vs. TBA (6 rounds - lightweight)
Hassan Azim vs. TBA (4 rounds - welterweight)