Brook reiterates his desire to knock his British rival out when they meet…
IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook has told Amir Khan that he is more than ready to set up a huge domestic fight next year and he will be looking to knock him out.
The 28-year-old defeated Shawn Porter in California on Saturday night to become the new IBF champion, and he is scheduled to fight on December 6 in Sheffield in his first title defence.
Meanwhile, Khan is expected to return to the ring on the same night, with the long-term plan to pit the two British fighters against each other in the summer next year.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has already insisted that he believes the fight will be equally as big as the rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves, with Brook and Khan sharing a genuine rivalry that dates back years.
“Coming from me, you’ve heard it many times that I want the fight. You’ve heard it from him, he wants the fight. Let’s sign the contract and make it happen,” Brook said, Sky Sports reports.
“He’s said that I’ve never proved myself. I’ve gone to America, to the American’s backyard and took the title from him. I’m now the world champion, let’s make the fight happen.
“It’s a huge fight, every single fan in Britain wants to see that fight and I want to knock the guy out and show everyone that I’m the No 1.”
Hearn believes that Brook still has to build his profile in the USA before he can begin to think about bouts with the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but he certainly believes that the Sheffield-born fighter has the talent to get to that level by next year.
Nevertheless, the demand from the British public to see him against Khan is overwhelming, and it is highly unlikely that the duo will be able to avoid each other for much longer.
If Brook can successfully come through his first title defence later this year, with an opponent who has yet to be named, then Khan will follow and Brook envisages it will be a real classic between two fighters who genuinely dislike each other.
“It’s going to be massive. I think it will sell out any arena in Britain and everybody will be talking about it.
“I think me fighting him – it’s been going on that long – I think the tactics will go out the book and we’ll just meet in the centre of the ring and have a brawl.
“His style and my style, I think, will definitely gel. He’s got quick hands, quick feet and he’s very exciting. As we know, he hasn’t got the best chin, so that makes it more exciting and I can definitely punch.
“It’s got all the ingredients to be a super, exciting fight.”
All parties concerned have been waiting for the right time for the pair to get in the ring, and with Brook’s title victory, he is undoubtedly well placed to now call out Khan and hope that an agreement is reached for next year.
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