Khan Vs. Brook: should it happen at 147 or at 154?

By James Slater - 10/22/2016 - Comments

Both Amir Khan and Kell Brook are coming off heavy stoppage defeats: Khan to Canelo Alvarez in a 155-pound meeting, Brook up at full middleweight against Gennady Golovkin. Now, with the two arch-rivals having no immediate fight coming up, the logical thing is for the two to fight one another. As fans know, these two have been going at it verbally for some months/years now, and 2017 seems perfect for the two world champions (Khan a former 140-pound ruler, Brook still, for the time being, the IBF 147-pound champ).

But at which weight should the fight take place at? Khan says he is dropping back down to his “natural” weight class of welterweight, while it is not yet known if Brook – who spent weeks bulking up to middleweight for the GGG fight, telling anyone who would listen how he felt so much stronger and powerful having not had to “kill myself” to make 147 – can ever make welterweight again; nor do we know if Brook wants to try.

But Khan, in speaking with WBN, says the fight, which he now wants, would have to take place at 147-pounds or else – as in, or else it won’t happen. Khan, then, is calling the shots, or trying to. Brook responded on his Twitter page, writing:

“@amirkhan are you ready to secure this fight with me, a huge showdown in 2017 for all the fans!”

That’s the real question: is Khan ready for a fight with Brook? Does “King” Khan really want it? Khan must know how hard it would be for Brook to work off all the muscle he gained in bulking UP in weight, the question is: is Khan insisting Brook fights him at 147 because he knows he would have a possible advantage over a weight drained opponent, or is he simply demanding that Brook fights him at 147 because he knows Brook CAN’T do this?

Is Khan making excuses? Then again, Khan put on weight (not as much as Brook but still eight substantial pounds) and he is willing to shed the extra weight/muscle he put on to drop back down to welterweight; so why can’t Brook? Basically, though, the fans are running out of patience and they just want to see this fight, one of the best that can be made in British boxing today, and they do not care if it is at welterweight or at super-welterweight, or at a catch-weight somewhere in between.

Make it happen, Amir, Kell – your collective fans deserve it and so do you!