Amir Khan: Brook Can Stop Crawford's Reign; I Am Gonna Be Rooting For Him
By
Keith Idec
Published On Mon Nov 9, 2020, 09:25 AM EST
Amir Khan understands that his own showdown with Kell Brook would become a much more meaningful fight if Brook knocks off Terence Crawford on Saturday night.
Khan, whom Crawford stopped 18 months ago, hasn’t given up hope of eventually boxing Brook. For now, however, Brook’s biggest British rival will root for the former IBF welterweight champion to upset Crawford.
England’s Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) will challenge Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) for the Omaha, Nebraska, native’s WBO 147-pound championship in a main event ESPN will televise from MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. Premier Sports, a premium cable channel, will air Crawford-Brook live in the United Kingdom early Sunday morning.
“Obviously, I know he’s got his hands full against Terence Crawford,” Khan told
SecondsOut.com during an interview posted Saturday to its YouTube channel. “So, he’s gonna be busy with that fight. And we wish him nothing but the best. I wish Kell all the very best. And, you know, go out there and, you know, put a stop to his reign. And he can do that.
“You know, Kell’s a good fighter and I’ve always respected him. Look, as a Brit, we have to support our own fighters and we have to support each other. And even though we’ve not looked eye-to-eye for many years, but look, end of the day I am gonna be rooting for him.”
Handicappers have established the 33-year-old Crawford as at least a 14-1 favorite to beat Brook. The 34-year-old Brook hasn’t competed at the 147-pound limit since Errol Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) knocked him out in the 11th round of their May 2017 fight at Bramall Lane, an outdoor soccer stadium in Sheffield, England, Brook’s hometown.
Crawford has stopped each of his four opponents since he moved up to the welterweight division.
Khan was the third of those four foes. Crawford defeated Khan by sixth-round technical knockout in April 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Crawford dropped Khan in the first round. Khan couldn’t continue in the sixth round due to an accidental low blow Crawford landed.
Crawford was ahead on all three scorecards – 50-44, 49-45 and 49-45 – when his fight against Khan ended.
The 33-year-old Khan (34-5, 21 KOs) stopped Australia’s Billy Dib (46-6, 26 KOs, 2 NC) in his only appearance since he lost to Crawford. Khan won that bout by fourth-round TKO in July 2019 at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
