Premier League Tips

It may be seven years too late, but British boxing rivals Kell Brook and Amir Khan finally share a ring on Saturday evening at the Manchester Arena. Both are former world champions and appear to be past their best. There's no title on the line, and with the pair suffering early stoppage defeats to WBO champ Terence Crawford, it's unlikely the winner of this bout will go on to challenge for major honours.

There's no more than pride at stake here, but what more is needed when two English rivals clash over 12 rounds in front of a sell-out audience?

As drinkers of Irish dry stout already know, good things come to those who wait, but will Brook v Khan leave us feeling tipsy or flat?

Special K has lost three of six

It wouldn't be unfair to say Brook's best days are behind him. The Sheffield puncher who blasted through the British boxing rankings at welterweight over a decade ago went on to rule the division. He beat Shawn Porter for the IBF world title in 2014 before a stunned StubHub Center in Carson. Brook then defended that belt three times, beating Ionut Dan Ion inside four rounds, Frankie Gavin before the halfway stage and Kevin Bizier in two.

An ill-advised jump up two weight divisions to face Gennady Golovkin followed with Kell challenging for three versions of the world middleweight title at a packed O2 Arena in London. The Brit started that contest well enough, picking up his range and catching the ever-aggressive Triple G with jabs, but it was only a matter of time before the big-puncher got to his man. GGG walked Special K down before unloading heavy shots. Brook was pulled out by his corner in round five. It was later announced he had suffered a broken eye socket.

Since losing to Golovkin, we have seen Brook fight five times, recording three wins on the bounce between losing by stoppage to Errol Spence Jr in 11 and Terence Crawford in four. Brook is priced at 1.758/11 to settle the score with a return to winning ways in Manchester. The points win is 5.39/2 with a KO/TKO trading at 2.427/5.

Khan has lost his way

Khan doesn't have his critics to seek, but Bolton's man is an accomplished boxer and, technically, one of the best the UK has produced in years. He followed a successful amateur career with a run in the pro ranks that took him from an exciting prospect to a respected world champion.

Khan won his first 18 bouts, many by early knockout, but it's that devastating first round KO loss to Breidis Prescott that he'll be remembered for. It was one of the biggest upsets in British boxing, on par with Anthony Joshua's KO at the hands of Andy Ruiz Jr in New York.

It didn't derail a young, hungry, and ambitious Khan, but the loss to Prescott did seem to change him as a fighter. He became security conscious, unable to shake off the nightmare of that evening in Manchester. King Khan is a former unified world champion at light-welterweight but, like his opponent, has stepped up through the ranks to mix it with the big punchers in a gamble that blew up in his face.

Amir enters this bout with a CV detailing 34 wins against five defeats with 21 KO wins and all but one of his losses coming inside the distance. In addition to Prescott, he has lost to Lamont Petersen, Danny Garcia, Saul Alvarez, and Crawford.

His most recent defeat came against Bud inside six rounds at Madison Square Garden in 2019. He has featured only once since, beating the experienced Billy Dib in Jeddah for the WBC Silver strap via a fourth round knockout.

Another win for Khan is 2.486/4 with a second KO/TKO in a row trading at 4.94/1, and a points cheer 4.3100/30.

Brook is worth backing

There's no doubt this fight is past its sell-by date, and we missed the chance to see Brook v Khan in their prime, but that doesn't mean this won't be a fascinating contest. At first, I thought, what was the point? Even the winner won't go anywhere from here. But as we get closer to fight night, the excitement is growing, and, like most fans, I'll be glued to the action.

Kell is one of my favourite British boxers of the modern era. Any young amateurs should watch Khan in action as his skills, footwork and hand speed are second to none. Unfortunately, there's no getting away from the fact there are gaping holes in his defence, and, as a result, he gets tagged too easily and too often. Brook has the skills to find his opponent's chin and it'll be all over in the second half of the bout.

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