2-minute preview of Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
The 15-year-long feud finally concludes on February 19 when bitter rivals Amir Khan (34-5, 21KOs) and Kell Brook (39-3, 27KOs) step through the ropes to come face to face in a professional boxing ring for the first time ever.
This pair, who have a genuine dislike for each other, are set to weigh-in at 149lbs with a rehydration clause limited to 163lbs.
A lot has been said about these two over the many years they haven’t fought, so instead of repeating what’s already been countlessly documented, here is the quickest breakdown of the fight you could ever read:
Last Fights
‘King’ Khan’s last fight was over two-and-a-half years ago against faded former IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib, which he won via fourth-round TKO, picking up the WBC International welterweight title against the Australian, who was competing three divisions above.
‘Special K’s last fight also ended in a fourth-round TKO but reversed against him. He started the contest brightly but was soon stopped by the formidable WBO World welterweight champion Terence Crawford, after a flush right hook landed clean, only the ropes preventing the knockdown. Then ‘Bud’ finished Brook off moments later.
Styles
Khan has always been known for his freakish hand speed, which means he can put together blisteringly fast combinations, but is also a very accurate puncher and still has his amateur pedigree that allows him to jump in and out of range.
Brook is an all-round fighter who does everything well, he can box on the back or front foot, and he is a brilliant technician with intelligent timing, a crisp jab, a quick one-two, and often likes to throw a powerful lead right. He is a very dangerous counter-puncher.
Size
Brook will be the bigger man having fought up at 160lbs once before, against ‘GGG’ in 2016, but that could see difficulties making the 149lbs weight limit.
Against ‘Canelo’ in the same year, Khan also fought at middleweight, but only reached up to 155lbs.
Strengths
Khan’s main asset is his speed, as well as his extensive pedigree in the sport. He has worked under the world’s best trainers, such as Freddie Roach, and trained alongside the very best fighters on the planet. For this grudge match, he has been training with Brian McIntyre and getting the blueprint from sparring partner Terence Crawford.
Brook is a tidy, technical, all-round fighter with strength. His ‘Ingle education’ has shaped his disciplined style and he possesses power having knocked out almost 70% of his victims.
Weaknesses
Khan is well known for his ‘glass jaw’ that has seen him suffer from four knockouts now. Huge puncher Briedis Prescott was the first to exploit this, hurting an up-and-coming 18-0 Khan with just his jab back in 2008, but it was ‘Canelo’ who demonstrated this perfectly with his one-punch demolition in 2016. He has also been guilty of losing concentration during fights and not staying disciplined to the game plan.
Brook is a neat and tidy boxer but isn’t always defensively sound because he has a tendency to get caught, mostly opting to box at mid-range. In his two fights with Golovkin and Spence, he sustained a hell of a lot of damage, resulting in two broken eye sockets.
Stats
Khan
Bouts: 39
Rounds: 232
KO Ratio: 53.85%
Height: 5ft 8½in
Reach: 71in
Brook
Bouts: 42
Rounds: 220
KO Ratio: 64.29%
Height: 5ft 9in
Reach: 69½in
Betting Odds
Brook is currently the slight favourite at 8/13 with Betway, while Khan is 13/10, and the odds for a draw is unusually low at 16/1.
Verdict
A fresher Amir Khan to stop the still powerful Kell Brook, who will always have a puncher’s chance throughout. In such a 50-50 contest, it could come down to who makes the first mistake, with each fighter equally likely to go down during the fight.
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