KELL YEAH
Khan vs Brook result: Kell Brook smashes bitter rival Amir Khan in thrilling bout fans are calling ‘fight of the year’
KELL BROOK won the 20-year war with Amir Khan by bludgeoning him - hopefully into safe retirement - over six savage rounds.
Two decades after their first schoolboy spar, 10 years after the healthy rivalry turned spiteful and 48 hours after it had turned sinister with tit-for-tat accusations of racism and personal insults, Brook triumphed in the Battle of Britain’s 35-year-old former world champions.
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Khan was punched from pillar-to-post and only rescued from his own bravery by a compassionate referee.
The Sheffield ace roared: “I always knew it was going to happen. What a feeling. ’m back on top now and I’ve got the bragging rights.
“I always knew from when I was 18 that I was a better fighter than him and tonight the fans got to see a mega fight and I dealt with him.
“I even had to put different gloves on in the ring.
“I was told they weren’t gonna pay me if I didn’t put them on.
“I even had someone knocking on my hotel door at 4am trying to upset my preparation.
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“They tried to get into my head all week but I took care of business. I can live at peace with myself. I’m back, baby."
Khan looked beaten, bruised and battered at the end and in truth was only rescued from his own bravery by a compassionate referee.
For all of Khan’s hand-speed and courage, it was, as Brook and trainer Dominic Ingle said, his superior timing and power that settled one of the most bitter grudges in modern British boxing.
It was the perfect way for both veterans to sign off their stellar careers, but their success might keep them hanging around for a few more.
The Manchester Arena was packed, including a glittering VIP guestlist that featured Man United striker Edinson Cavani and Oasis legend Noel Gallagher.
Even £100m Man City midfielder Jack Grealish would not let a painful loss to Spurs earlier in the day keep him away from the overdue action.
Boxing rivals Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr shrewdly took second jobs to guarantee themselves top-dollar seats by agreeing to do media shifts in exchange for freebies.
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The undercard was one-sided and shallow but it was always going to be with these millionaire headliners rightfully demanding almost all of the income to settle their spiteful row in front of the world.
And the row was still raging in the very final seconds of the build-up with Team Khan complaining about Brook’s gloves.
The dressing room was up in muscly arms about the kit Brook was set to make his ring walk wearing, holding up the main event as if the previous was not already frustrating enough.
And when Brook entered the ring his team were still changing and adjusting the pair he had been forced to wear by controlling Khan.
If Brook was going to need excuses come the end of the night, A-side Khan’s ruthless control of the bout and its rules were going to give him plenty of ammunition.
Brook looked sensational in the red and gold gear, with a Union Jack trim.
The strict 149lbs catchweight Khan’s watertight contract dragged him down to - and the secretive rehydration limit he had to meet earlier in the day - had clearly not ravaged him as much as Khan would have liked.
Khan’s new-look corner of American trainer Brian McIntyre and former conqueror Terence Crawford were giving him instructions until the last available second, while Brook preferred to shadow box and keep warm close to mentor Dominic Ingle.
Khan’s back wore circular red blotches from a recent cupping treatment that is used to remove toxins from the body.
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And, after a moment of prayer in his corner, he started pinging out his old poisonous jab.
Khan was coasting the opener after landing a couple of left hooks and then it all went wrong for him.
Brook landed a booming left hook and all of Khan’s infamous vulnerabilities returned.
Khan’s legs turned to jelly and his ankles and knees looked set to buckle under the pressure.
Brook looked certain to stop him but Khan refused to fall and even when his nemesis was grinning as he marched forward and attacked him, Khan’s heart kept him in it.
Khan leaped into a giant left hook of his own as soon as the second started but it didn't have the same skull-shattering effect as Brook’s.
Brook was scoring with meaty right hands but Khan tried to smile it off.
Blows were bouncing off of the stumbled chin Brook had compared to a “poppadum” in the build-up sparking a racism row that threatened to simmer over.
Khan was enjoying the third until a savage right hand changed his equilibrium, Brook’s timing was almost perfect.
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Khan looked like he was enjoying the third until another howitzer snatched away his senses.
It was the same in the fourth when he dodged in and out of range and landed rapid counters.
But Brook had clearly decided to walk through every Khan punch for the chance to land one of his own more devastating single shots.
A ruthless one-two in the fifth almost took Khan’s head off but he somehow survived again.
Brook must have been baffled that his nemesis was still vertical, some of the shots were sickening.
Khan even landed a good shot in the final few seconds that sent Brook bouncing into the ropes, it was superhuman stuff.
Khan was bludgeoned with the very first punch of the sixth but he asked for more, he told Brook to keep going.
And referee Victor Loughlin had seen enough and pulled Khan out when his new and unfamiliar corner were too happy to see him risk serious injury.
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With the bitter feud settled the fighters showed mutual respect and Khan said: “I’m very upset. I just couldn’t get it going.
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"Kell was the best man tonight. Respect to him.
“I need to sit down with my family but it’s near the end of my career. I may have to call it a day.”
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