Brook: Khan in for Rocky ride

KELL BROOK likened himself to James ‘Clubber’ Lang in Rocky

III, saying bitter rival Amir Khan has always looked down his nose at him.

Khan (above, left), 35, was the Olympic golden boy who had promoters fighting for his signature and the public right behind him after he won lightweight silver in Athens in 2004.

Brook (above, right) found doors did not open for him with the same ease. That meant him having to rise to the top the hard way, something he claims Khan has never respected.

And as the two finally prepare to meet in Manchester on Saturday, former IBF welterweight champion Brook reckons respect is one of two reasons why the Bolton banger has managed to get right under his skin all these years.

Brook, 35, said: “It’s about jealousy, and I’m not the jealous type.

“I give and have always given anyone their due if they have worked hard, if they have worked their backsides off and got to where they are from doing that, then all praise for them.

“But with him, it goes back to the amateur days. His style was stand-up, in and out, fast hands. Mine, with Brendan Ingle and having Naseem Hamed in the gym, was very unorthodox.

“The England captains and the amateurs didn’t really like my style.

“So he got picked and went on to the Olympics and got silver, and then Frank Warren signed him up and, rightly so, he was doing big things.

“But he has come up the easy way. I’ve been the floater on bills and it’s been a bit like in Rocky III, like Mr T’s character, where he had to come the hard way and find the position to become mandatory for the world title and win world titles.

“I’ve done it the hard way and Khan has never given me any respect for that.

“He has always looked down his nose at me.

“I’ve always said he’s a top-class fighter and given him his due but he hasn’t given it to me.

“On top of that, I just don’t like his face, to be honest, and I really want to punch him hard in it.

“It’s as simple as that. I don’t like his boat race and I want to smash it.”

This fight has been 17 years in the making.

Sheffield star Brook revealed: “Someone sent me an article from Boxing News from back when I was 18... and there was a picture of me and him talking about this fight then.”