PhOtOs -Amir Khan/Kell Brook Fight May Spark Unseen Rivalry
 

Amir Khan Fight with Kell Brook Would Spark Rivalry Unseen in British Boxing Since 1990s,
> Says Former World Champion Ricky Hatton

• Amir Khan is desperate to fight Floyd Mayweather later this year
• Fans have called for Khan to fight IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook
• Former world champion Ricky Hatton believes Khan should fight his rival
• Hatton claims the fight could spark a rivalry unseen in British boxing
  

Daily Mail UK, 18 June 2015


Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton believes a potential meeting between Amir Khan and IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook could spark a rivalry unseen in British boxing since Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank's battles in the 1990s.


Brook's promoters appear the more eager of the two camps to agree a date in 2016 as Khan continues to jockey for position to be the 49th and final opponent for Floyd Mayweather Jr. If they should fail, Hatton believes a British super-fight could be the making of the pair.

'Amir's got as good a chance as anyone (to face Mayweather). When you look at the names left out there for Mayweather to fight, he's already beaten Saul Alvarez, and Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin are too big at middleweight, so among fighters around his weight I can only think of Khan or Danny Garcia.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/...4644535414.jpg


Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton believes Amir Khan should fight British rival Kell Brook

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/...4644546154.jpg


But Khan is desperate to fight Floyd Mayweather, who Hatton was beaten by in 2008 (pictured), later this year


'If Amir doesn't get Mayweather then I think he should go with the Kell Brook fight. Benn and Eubank made themselves with a domestic rivalry; Carl Froch and George Groves had a great rivalry.

'Khan and Kell Brook could have a trilogy of fights. If you can get 80,000 into Wembley for Froch and Groves, you could definitely get 80,000-plus for Khan and Brook so that's the one I'd be heading for if Mayweather doesn't come off.'


While Khan has been involved in the bigger fights so far in his career, facing a number of former world champions including Marc Antonio Barrera, Paulie Malignaggi and Marcos Maidana, Kell Brook is the man currently in possession of a world title and an unbeaten record. Hatton thinks that if the two should meet, it would be too close to call.

'I think it's a 50-50 fight and I keep changing my mind," he said. "I could make an argument for both of them. When Amir Khan boxed against Devon Alexander and (Luis) Collazo I thought he looked a million dollars, but then last time out he showed his vulnerabilities. I think Amir's had a couple of times he's been hit on the chin, but lately he's looked a lot more solid.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/...4644614661.jpg


Khan outpointed Chris Algieri after 12 exciting rounds at the Barclays Center in New York in his previous fight


'Kell Brook fought against Frankie Gavin and looked really good in doing it, but Amir Khan will say, 'that's a level down from where I've been fighting'. He might have a point in that, but Brook went over to the US and won the world title against (Shawn) Porter, so I really wouldn't like to say.'

Ten years on from winning his first world title with an 11th-round stoppage of Kostya Tszyu, Hatton has been helping fellow Mancunian Terry Flanagan prepare for his own title shot when he faces Jose Zepeda at the Manchester Velodrome for the vacant WBO lightweight title next month.

The Ancoats fighter has recently admitted sneaking in to watch the 2005 bout, and Hatton says he can draw on that experience to upset the odds on July 11.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/...4644653567.jpg


Brook stop Frankie Gavin in the sixth round to successfully defend his IBF welterweight belt last month


'You've got to believe in yourself,' he said. 'Nobody gave me a chance when Kostya Tzsyu came over here and Terry's got a similar opponent in Zepeda.
'He's coming over here with an unbeaten record of 23 wins and 20 knockouts thinking it's just a routine defence. But when you look through his record there's nobody on there that he's knocked out that Terry would fear.

'When I first started off boxing in the Manchester social clubs you never thought I was ever going to be a world champion, and I'm sure they never thought Terry would be a champion, but he's here now and he has his opportunity. If he shows no fear and shows his opponent no respect - which you have to do or you get knocked on your backside - if he can get off to a good start, I believe he can bring the title home.