Fight fans have been calling for a showdown between the two men for years and a bout was believed to be edging closer after it emerged Khan had signed with Brook’s promotional company, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sports, earlier this year.
But the Bolton man has since cooled talk of fighting Brook anytime soon, instead setting his sights on becoming a world champion once again in his preferred 147lb weight division.
Speaking to Behind The Gloves last week, Brook’s long-time trainer Dominic Ingle suggested Khan was avoiding taking the fight and had resorted to bending the truth.
“I watched a video where, I think Amir Khan has probably had too many head shots because in the video he’s saying Kell used to be his sparring partner,” Ingle said.
“The one and only time they sparred, was actually on a Team GB training squad when they were 14 or 15 years old. It was probably technical sparring but somehow in Amir Khan’s mind he seems to have twisted it round that Kell was his sparring partner.
“He also states he was the same weight as Kell – he wasn’t as an amateur. Khan was a lightweight, Kell was a light-welterweight, there’s a weight division between them,.
“He keeps going over all this and I always think to myself ‘if it was that easy back then and you think you’re a better fighter now, why is it a problem making this fight? If it is an easy fight why is it a problem?
“Amir Khan has done a lot of talking for reasons why he can’t fight Kell and Kell is saying ‘anytime you want it, we’ll do it’. Khan is coming up with excuses left, right and centre.
“It is the biggest money fight he is ever going to get. He’s coming to the end of his career. Is he going to take as risky fight as Kell for less money or a fight with Kell for the best money he’ll ever get.
“I don’t think he’d ever like to get a beatdown off Kell, which he will get, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that fight never happens.”