Poison in the air as Khan and Brook set up fight for the ages
THEY say styles make fights. try hatred, jealousy and disgust, leading to fear and loathing in Manchester on February 19. the first public reaction to Amir Khan and Kell Brook finally agreeing to get it on has been of two guys stepping outside the back door of the bar to settle seven years of differences. the more poison they spewed at each other at London’s hilton hotel yesterday, the clearer it became that this promises to be a fight for the ages, not the aged. Khan and Brook came face to face after five months of acrimonious negotiating by their teams. Brook promptly planted his forehead into Khan’s nose and the King of Bolton reacted by shoving Sheffield’s Special One across the stage with both hands. ‘I’ve never had anyone dislike me so much,’ said Khan. ‘Now I want to punch him in the face.’ Said Brook: ‘I want to hit him right now. he’s lied about why he kept ducking me so long. hatred is a strong word but I despise him. ‘I would have gone to my grave irritated and angry if I’d not smashed him to the ground.’ there is often promotional sabre rattling before big fights, but this is for real. So aggravated was the contractual wrangling that Brook, having conceded A-side billing and the thick end of the multi-million pound purse, said: ‘this makes it a down and dirty scrap in the pub car park.’ Khan, the silver Olympian, mocked him in reply: ‘what real professional says that? I will school him at boxing as I did when we sparred in the amateurs.’ Brook: ‘I’m knocking you spark out.’ Khan: ‘You won’t last the 12 rounds.’ that was standard stuff. But Brook added: ‘You’re delusional and the proof is you ran from me all these years and now you’re just a delusional celebrity.’ Khan: ‘that’s why you resent me so much. You’re jealous of all I’ve achieved and so bitter. All that emotion will be your downfall.’ Brook: ‘I’ll force you into us going at each other like mad from the start and your chin won’t take it.’ Khan: ‘You keep getting knocked out and I lasted longer than you against terence Crawford.’
That was a reference to the great American who hammered Brook in four rounds last year, while Khan has not fought for two years. Brook is 35, Khan becomes so next week. Both insist their long delayed showdown is still relevant to the fans to whom each is dedicating the fight. Brook: ‘It’s still as big as it ever was.’ Khan: ‘we will sell out Manchester Arena and sell big on pay-per-view.’ they are probably right.
• Khan v Brook will be promoted by Boxxer live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday February 19.
• BILLY JOE SAUNDERS has dismissed as ‘rubbish’ a series of allegations of serious assault made against him in a video posted on Twitter. The former two-weight world champion, 32, was accused by an unnamed man of stabbing his son, named as Johnny Dunne, in the hand after a brawl. The man also claimed Saunders pointed a gun at another of his sons. Saunders posted on Instagram: ‘All the allegations made against me are complete rubbish. However, given the police may be involved at some stage, my lawyer advises me to make no public comment at this stage.’