Amir Khan revealed the considered his profession being tainted by defeat to nemesis Kell Brook is what has motivated the Bolton fighter forward of Saturday’s grudge bout.
From profitable Olympic silver in 2004 to unifying the light-welterweight division and combating on the grandest levels in New York and Las Vegas, Khan’s legacy as one of many best British combatants of his period is already safe.
However he fears an asterisk being affixed to his legacy if Brook has his hand raised of their 10st 9lb catchweight contest on the AO Area in Manchester, the place solely bragging rights are at stake for the 2 former world champions.
That’s sufficient of an incentive for Khan, who insisted he has left no stone unturned in his preparations after surprisingly linking up with former opponent Terence Crawford’s coach Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre in Colorado.
Forward of his first combat since July 2019, Khan (34-5, 21KOs) stated: “You’re all the time that one combat away from destroying your entire legacy. It is a combat that I may find yourself dropping what I’ve completed in my entire profession.
“Folks might be like ‘oh he received beat by Kell Brook’. I’ve to ensure I do all the things. That’s why I used to be working up hills, I used to be working so exhausting, I had to ensure I did all the things proper as a result of I don’t wish to lose to him.
“I don’t just like the man. You possibly can see by individuals within the eyes how humble and good they’re however he’s not like that.
“Folks have to see the true facet of him. He’s appearing the good man, he’s attempting to indicate his followers that he’s a pleasant man however he’s not. He’s a very unhealthy, bitter individual.”
Khan – who scaled 10st 7lbs 5oz at Friday’s weigh-in, with Brook (39-3, 27KOs) one pound heavier however nonetheless below the agreed contracted restrict – is a slight underdog as bookmakers have favoured the ex-IBF welterweight champion.
All 4 of Khan’s losses inside the gap have been within the first half of a combat so the 35-year-old is ready for an onslaught within the opening rounds, however he expects to get the higher hand the longer the combat progresses.
He stated: “For the primary three or 4 rounds he’s going to attempt exhausting and that’s generally after I caught early. It’s occurred to me earlier than.
“When ‘BoMac’ was coaching me, he was saying ‘you could be tight, you could be sensible within the early rounds as a result of you may’t make that mistake you do generally’.
“Should you have a look at these fights, (Breidis) Prescott, (Danny) Garcia, it was early within the combat when all the things was going my method. I used to be overconfident.
“It’s all about sticking to the ways, being sensible and never making any errors and provides him a boxing lesson.”
There’s a suspicion this combat is occurring years too late and each fighters are previous their respective primes, however tickets for this occasion bought out in 10 minutes, with the followers’ enthusiasm underlining the magnitude of the event.
They have been separated by safety at November’s combat announcement and had a number of tense and inflammatory exchanges at Thursday’s remaining press convention, with Khan accusing Brook of a racial slur though the Yorkshireman insisted his “poppadom chin” remark was merely referencing his rival’s famend inclined punch-resistance.
Brook, additionally 35, has been courting a showdown towards Khan for a very long time and whereas the Sheffield fighter acknowledges they don’t see eye to eye – the duo gave the impression to be verbally sparring once they went face to face on Friday earlier than safety pulled them aside – he believes he’s not revered by his bitter foe.
Brook stated: “Simply being a fighter at our stage, like Anthony Joshua, David Haye, if all of us see one another, we acknowledge one another as warriors and fighters.
“Everyone knows to get to that stage what we have now to sacrifice in going to mattress early, coaching exhausting, the food regimen, we all know what must be put in, so it’s simply that acknowledgement of the respect of one other fighter.
“I give anybody who fights at any stage from a journeyman to the (Tyson) Furys and the AJs the utmost respect once they climb into that ring. It’s a sport you may get killed in, so respect is due.”