Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Brook, Khan camps in early talks

When Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao finally agreed to their May 2 megafight, the big loser was welterweight contender Amir Khan.

Had the fight not been made, Khan, a former unified junior welterweight titleholder, was a likely next opponent for either man. But now Khan is left to take a look at what’s behind door No. 3, and it’s not so bad: welterweight titleholder Kell Brook in a big-time all-British world title fight.

Obviously, that fight for Khan is not nearly as big as a fight with either Mayweather or Pacquiao would have been, but it is clearly the next-best thing that he can pursue, and according to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, the talks have begun.

“Just some friendly, initial talks,” Hearn said of his recent conversations with Khan’s team. “They are confident the fight will happen this year. I am pushing for it early June.”

For a Brook-Khan fight to become a reality that quickly, Brook will have to make sure he takes care of business when he makes his first title defense, a mandatory against Jo Jo Dan, on March 28 at Motorpoint Arena in Brook's hometown of Sheffield, England.

If Brook wins and does not suffer any cuts or injuries, a fight in June seems quite possible. Khan had hoped to fight Mayweather or Pacquiao in May, so waiting a few extra weeks for a fight with Brook should be no big deal.

Khan (30-3, 19 KOs) last fought on Dec. 13, turning in a sensational performance in a near-shutout of former titleholder Devon Alexander in Las Vegas.

Last month, Khan, 28, told ESPN.com that if he couldn’t get Mayweather or Pacquiao next that a fight with Brook was third on his wish list.

"It’s a big fight even if it isn’t as big as me against Manny or Floyd,” Khan said. “Kell Brook is very powerful, very strong. He’s kind of slick the way he fights. He puts his punches together quite well. Plus, it would be a massive U.K. fight. I think we could sell out Wembley. A fight between us has been talked about for a long time. It would bring a lot of money for him to fight me. But he’s my third choice.”

Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) won his 147-pound world title by majority decision against American Shawn Porter on Aug. 16 at StubHub Center in Carson, California. Brook, 28, was supposed to make his first title defense in December but he suffered a stab wound in his leg during an incident in September while he was on vacation in Spain, and his first defense was pushed back to March while he recovered.

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