Kell Brook Accuses Amir Khan of Ducking Fight Due to Pressure

Former world champion welterweight Kell Brook has opened up about his long-standing rivalry with Amir Khan, claiming that Khan "100 percent ducked" fighting him due to the pressure of facing a domestic rival.

Speaking to William Hill's Simon Jordan, Brook expressed his frustration with the situation, stating,

"When people say that I hate Amir Khan, I just hated the fact that he was bugging me wherever I went. People always brought it up asking when we were going to fight – I was sick of it. I think he 100 percent ducked the fight with me."

Brook emphasized the difference in pressure between facing international opponents like Canelo Alvarez or Manny Pacquiao and fighting a domestic rival like himself.

"It’s hard to deal with, and I don’t think he was scared of me; I think he was scared of that," Brook added.

The Sheffield fighter also discussed his perception of how promoter Frank Warren treated him compared to Khan.

"With the Olympics and how Frank Warren put him on a pedestal, I used to be on these same shows and I’d be at the bottom of the bill. He’s always had that push more than me, and he’s had the easy road, while I’ve had to do it the hard way, the proper way," Brook explained.

Reflecting on his victory over Khan in 2022, Brook revealed the significance of the fight in his career.

"I’d never trained for a fight like I did for that one, because I knew I’d boxed all these world champions but I will be remembered for my fight with Khan," he said.

Despite their rivalry, Brook expressed respect for Khan and downplayed the controversy surrounding Khan's positive drug test after their bout. "I’ve got respect for Amir Khan, and I truly think that in his heart he didn’t know he had [PED’s] in his system," Brook stated.