Former world champion Amir Khan said that it was a calculated decision to choose a greater challenge against American rival Terence Crawford for less money rather than meet fellow British rival Kell Brook.
Khan, who revealed that he will resume with former trainer Virgil Hunter after the Oakland coach’s return to full health, fights the Omaha welterweight world champion, who is ranked in the top three pound for pound, on April 20 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
A UK television deal is yet to be finalised for the fight, but the two men came face to face in London at a rather tepid news conference on Tuesday. Neither man broke a sweat, Khan even brushing off the view of the American – an undefeated three-weight division world champion – that the Briton is “around No 6 or No 7 welterweight in the world” with barely a twitch of his brow.
However, Khan was clear about one thing: The battle with Brook can wait.
“His last fight did hardly any ticket sales and the performance was that bad that it upset even the fans who came to see him fight,” said Khan of Brook’s contest against journeyman Michael Zerafa in December.
“I was selling the fight [with Brook] on my own back and it’s too much pressure selling the fight on your own. Let’s hope Kell comes back with a good win and we’ll take it from there. I’m still getting paid the big-money fights, I’m not chasing Kell Brook, I just want him to have a good performance and respect me.”
Khan even went as far as to agree that Brook will always be the B-side. “Correct, 100 per cent,” he said.
Khan can create a legacy for himself should he leave the New York ring with his arms raised. “I am in a division and position where I am a big name globally. I can almost get any big name to fight me,” Khan said.
“The Brook fight was close, very close [to being signed]. One night it was Brook and the next morning it was Crawford. Before that people were saying I had nowhere to go and now I have Crawford. People will say I have no chance and that is perfect for me, because I love being the underdog. It takes all the pressure off of me and I can prove I am the best.”
“I’m not going there as an opponent; I’m the best fighter he’s been in the ring with. Other fighters like Jeff Horn took him nine rounds and I’m a better fighter than all the fighters he’s faced; I’d beat all the fighters he’s faced. He’s moving up in levels and so am I, he’s a big test for me and someone at my own weight division where I’m more comfortable.”
“This will be like a chess match,” Khan said. “I will not go in and get hurt, I will try to win, otherwise I would not have taken it. I had an easier fight there for me with the Kell Brook fight. But I feel this fight will put me where I need to be.”
Elsewhere, Frank Warren, Tyson Fury’s promoter, scuttled news that Eddie Hearn had offered Fury a 60-40 split of the purse to face Anthony Joshua for three of the world heavyweight titles on April 13 at Wembley Stadium.
“It’s nonsense,” Warren told The Daily Telegraph. “Hearn did make an offer to Fury, but it was derisory. It would have to be 50/50 anyway,” said the promoter, who added that talks are continuing for Fury to fight the American Deontay Wilder in a rematch this year, after their controversial draw in December in Los Angeles