GUEST COLUMN
Sharing a ring with Brook and Khan
I’VE taken my fair share of beatings from Kell Brook over the years. Some when he was a youngster; some when he was an adult. I’ve also shared a ring with Amir Khan.
When Kell first started, I’d packed it in, so I didn’t get to see much of him in the early years. But when I returned to Brendan Ingle’s gym at around the age of 23, Kell would have been 12 or 13 and immediately he impressed me. He was very good. Even as a kid, his maturity stood out. I liked how he went about things.
He didn’t stand out like Naz [Naseem Hamed] did. He was something else, that kid. But Kell got to 15 or 16 and was just an animal. He didn’t hold back in sparring, no matter how old you were.
I was also around Kell when he moved to Dave Coldwell. He absolutely pasted me around that time. He broke my nose more than once. I’ve not got the smallest nose in the world, it doesn’t take much breaking, but he made a habit of it.
Looking back, I thought he’d definitely become a world champ. I didn’t think he’d end up being as good as he is, though. He went about his business quietly. If Naz didn’t open his mouth, he wouldn’t have got noticed as much. But he was a gobby little f**ker.
Kell, however, was more reserved. He was very good but more of a traditional boxer. A proper boxer. He did everything perfectly. Naz was just a novelty really. I don’t think there will ever be another one like him.
With Kell, I think those Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence defeats, although physically punishing, will have given him confidence. I don’t think he has ever truly been confident in his ability to mix it with the best. He was always down on himself. But against Golovkin he surprised me. I thought he was brilliant. I also thought he was beating Spence before his cheekbone was broken.
When I fought Khan in 2005, he was unbelievable. Definitely the best I ever fought. His hand speed was just unreal. A lot of people can throw a lot of punches, but every one of the punches Khan threw was bang on. They all found the target perfectly. He was so accurate with his flurries. He had no power at all – none whatsoever – but his punches were spot on. Against Khan, even though I was never hurt once, I was frustrated. I felt like grabbing him and kicking him in the balls.
I used to think Khan would beat Kell. Before he lost to Danny Garcia, I thought Khan would be too good for him. He was mixing with better opponents and he looked classy. I thought Khan was a class above with his speed and everything. Kell also doubted himself back then. But now I think Kell matches him in enough departments.
Khan has quicker hands than Kell, no doubt, but Kell is just as accurate. Every punch he throws has meaning to it and a bit of meat behind it. I don’t think Kell is a one-punch knockout artist, though. Everyone says that when he hits Khan, he’ll knock him out, but that might not be the case. Khan’s chin is a bit iffy, so Kell could KO him, but it might also take some time. Khan has a big heart.
Kell’s jab is better than any I’ve ever known. It busts people up. It’s so powerful. He was also punch-perfect against Sergey Rabchenko and looks strong at 154lbs.
I don’t think Khan will fight him. I think it will be another Junior Witter and Ricky Hatton situation. In boxing, it’s a shame when that happens. I know Kell really wants it from speaking to him. But Khan has one excuse after another.
If it happens, I wouldn’t put my life on Kell winning it. Khan is brilliant in his own right. But I’d definitely see it as something like a 70/30 fight in Kell’s favour – if it happens, that is.
I FELT LIKE GRABBING KHAN AND KICKING HIM IN THE BALLS