Amir Khan v Kell Brook: Where will Saturday’s grudge match be won and lost?
Bolton-born Khan and Sheffield’s Brook go head to head in Manchester this weekend.
Long-time rivals Amir Khan and Kell Brook will end years of back and forth trash-talking when they face each other in a much-anticipated grudge bout at a 149lb catchweight this weekend.
It is a case of better late than never for the two British fighters, whose contest in Manchester should still attract plenty of eyeballs not least because they seem evenly matched despite contrasting styles.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the respective skill-sets of the 35-year-old combatants and whether that gives an indication of who may have their hand raised on Saturday evening.
Speed
Unquestionably Khan. Brook is not cumbersome by any measure but his opponent’s rapid hand speed and footwork, his ability to get in and out of danger and crucially get off the first punch – the jab could be crucial for Khan – is well noted. Khan, a former unified light-welterweight champion, may not be as quick as he once was and there were signs he was slowing down against Terence Crawford in 2019 but he is still likely to be the faster of the two.
Power
Khan’s ability to overwhelm his foes with punches they do not see coming has largely been responsible for the 21 stoppages he has gained from his 34 wins to go with five defeats, but Brook is more heavy-handed. This should not be billed as ‘speed v power’, which is too simplistic. Certainly on the world stage, former IBF welterweight titlist Brook (39-3, 27KOs) has relied as much on timing as he has done on outright obliterating previous opponents.
Defence
Conditioning
Khan’s swiftness has meant he has been able to set a high tempo and he has rarely shown signs of gassing as a fight wears on. Of the two, Bolton-born Khan is more committed to staying on top of his fitness, with Brook often ballooning in weight between fights. Boiling down to welterweight has proved difficult in the past for the Yorkshireman and, while he has two extra pounds to play with, how he gets down to the weight could be instructive.
Chin
Overall
