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The biggest fight that can be made in the United Kingdom right now is, without question, Kell Brook against Amir Khan. It has been a fight the British public has talked about for the past couple of years but now it is red-hot. And it’s a big one in general, not just in the U.K. Former unified junior welterweight titleholder Khan rolled to a one-sided decision against two-division titleholder Devon Alexander in December in the kind of statement performance that showed he was a serious welterweight contender ready for anyone in the division. And then Brook, who came to the United States and impressively outpointed Shawn Porter in August to win a title, absolutely shredded mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan in four lopsided rounds on Saturday with a raucous hometown crowd in Sheffield, England, cheering him on. Brook (34-0, 23 KOs), returning from a serious stab wound to his left leg six months earlier, dropped Dan four times in a spectacular performance to retain his title for the first time and then promptly called out Khan for what would be an enormous fight in England. “Amir Khan, Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios -- those are the sort of names I want. Bring them on,” Brook said. “I want to entertain the fans and want them to tell me who they want to see me fight. I think the answer is Amir Khan, and if he’s watching -- let’s do it, come and fight me. “If you're watching Amir Khan, then get in here with me. I know you're delicate around the whiskers. I’ll take you out." Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, Brook’s promoter, also wants to make the massive fight. “There is a little venue available on June 13 called Wembley Stadium,” Hearn said of the famous arena, where a British-record crown of 80,000 turned out last May for the Carl Froch-George Groves rematch. “If Amir Khan is watching give everyone what they want. It is the biggest payday available, and it’s for a world title.” Khan and Brook have traded barbs before and disrespected each other. They don’t particularly like each other, which just adds heat to a promotion. If ever there was a time to make this fight it is right now. Brook is free of any mandatory obligations, came out of the fight healthy and is anxious to fight again soon. Khan, who didn’t get either Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao because they are finally going to fight each other on May 2, needs an opponent. There is none more significant or as interesting for Khan as Brook. I asked Khan for his thoughts on a fight with Brook after his destruction of Dan. At first Khan (30-3, 19 KOs) claimed he was not interested but then seemed to change his tune. “He’s only beaten one good fighter, Porter,” Khan said. “He needs some good wins against the likes of Rios, Marquez, [Keith] Thurman, [Marcos] Maidana and the fight will be even bigger. “I’d love to shut him up, [but] why give someone a payday when they constantly disrespect you all the time? The fight will happen when it’s meant to happen. Before the fight he said I bring nothing to the table, no title and he don’t need to fight me as he’s the champion. Now he’s calling me out.” Later, I pressed Khan on the issue. If you’d like to shut Brook up, why not do it? I suggested that he could fight Brook, shut him up by winning, claim a welterweight title and make, by far, his biggest payday. Khan thought about it. “I agree -- will start the talks,” he said. As Hearn said: There’s a little venue called Wembley Stadium available on June 13. Now give the people what they want.
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