Kell Brook and Eddie Hearn, his promoter, say they could be willing to take a short end of the purse, despite Brook being world champion, to set up a summer showdown with Amir Khan. Brook defends his IBF welterweight title against Jo Jo Dan, of Canada, in Sheffield on March 28, but Wembley Stadium is on hold for June 13 if Khan agrees to be Brook’s next challenger.
Khan is without an opponent for his next bout after his hopes of facing either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao were ended when the two megastars agreed to face each other. The IBF title of Brook will be the only world title not on the line when Mayweather faces Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2, but Brook says he is fed up of waiting for him.
“I think it is more likely I will end up fighting one of Mayweather or Pacquiao than Khan the way he is dragging his feet,” Brook said. “It is so easy for the fight to be made. All the signs are there for it to be an unbelievable fight.
“He is avoiding me like the plague. I have a great belt there and it’s a great bargaining tool. He said that I’m an easy fight but how long have we been banging on about wanting the fight with him? He wants to fight some of these kids who have been super-featherweights. I am a genuine big welterweight who can seek and destroy him.”
Hearn is confident that Brook will get through his defence against Dan with few problems, so he can return to training for a Wembley bout. The date has been picked to allow Khan to box before Ramadan, when he does not like to train because he is fasting.
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He also said that Brook might be willing to step back from his demands of an equal split in the purse in order to get the deal done.
“We want the fight so badly,” Hearn said. “We don’t believe we should take anything less than 50-50 but until we talk maybe we do. Kell has not been in a megafight and has masses of monster paydays in front of him. If he has to give Amir a little something to knock him out he probably will.”
Brook has been rivals with Khan for years and has constantly called for a bout with his cross-Pennines rival. But he feels that beating Shawn Porter to win the IBF title in California last August should have been the final barrier to making the bout.
“I’ve never had a conversation with him, but I have seen clips of him saying ‘win a world title’, ‘do this, do that’,” Brook said. I have come through everything he has said and still nothing.
“I think people around him are blowing smoke up his a*** and he is believing all the hype. Don’t get me wrong he is a good fighter but I would take him out. We are ready to go with this fight. But I will fight anyone. I have only wanted to fight the very best.”