Nick Peet: Amir Khan vs Kell Brook preview

THE term prizefighter is generally accurate when describing any boxer, after all, they compete either for a cash prize, a title belt or, ideally, both.

But this weekend’s Sky Box Office main event isn’t about belts. It isn’t really about money either. It’s about bragging rights. It’s about who is the best of their generation. And it’s a fight that has captured the public’s attention.

Admittedly, Amir Khan vs Kell Brook would have been a different fight five or six years ago. Both riding high in their careers, it would have pitted two of the most successful British fighters against one another at the peak of their careers.

It didn’t happen then for one simple reason: Khan was having the kind of career Brook could only dream of.

Whilst the Sheffield stylist had dropped into America in 2014 to defeat Shawn Porter and be crowned IBF welterweight champ, the trio of home title defences that followed failed to resonate outside of British shores.

Meanwhile, already a unified light-welterweight world champion, Khan was no longer just a British boxing star; the former Olympic silver medallist was now a big draw in the USA, something very few Brits have achieved, and well versed at headlining pay-per-view events.

Where their careers take a very similar path was in 2016, when they both jumped up to middleweight for blockbuster fights against pound-for-pound stars. Khan lasted six rounds against Canelo Alvarez, Brook one round less against Gennady Golovkin.

Amir took some time off, rebuilt back at home, but then had his final title bubble burst against current great Terence Crawford in 2019, quitting in round six.

Similarly, Brook, after losing his belt to Errol Spence eight months after the Golovkin defeat, had three wins back in Sheffield before also capitulating to Crawford in 2020, where he was stopped in four.

Both now 35 and seemingly with nowhere else to go, the fight that Brook has been chasing and Khan had been pushing back for nearly a decade is finally here. The question is, who has got what left?

👀@amirkingkhan and @SpecialKBrook face off with just 2 days until fight night! 🔥#KhanBrook | Feb 19 | AO Arena Manchester | @skysportsboxing Box Office pic.twitter.com/84QwBU3HO7

— BOXXER (@boxxer) February 17, 2022

Khan, despite facing better opposition in his 34-5 career and suffering a couple of one-shot knockout highlight reel defeats, is actually a little less battle worn. Brook’s three knockout losses in his 39-3 campaign has included two fractured eye sockets.

Khan’s position in modern day British boxing history is assured. Defeat here will take the shine off his career in the short term, but his body of work will ultimately speak for itself.

Brook needs this win so much more. He needs a scalp on his resume to prop up the Porter victory, which is why he’s been chasing Khan for so long and why he’s so emotionally invested in this fight.

Can he control his temper enough to ensure cutting back down to 149lb for the first time in five years doesn’t see him punch himself out? Can he land early and often enough to hurt Khan and keep him down?

Or will Amir use his greater experience and skills set to dance, move and pepper an increasingly frustrated Brook with enough shots to move him into the kind of lead which could open an exhausted Kell up for a finish down the stretch?

Inevitably, this fight will descend into a war at some point. But I believe Khan’s fast hands and footwork will keep him upright long enough to hear the final bell and convince the judges.

TIP: Khan on Points