AMIR KHAN’S strict weight demands could be the key to him ending Kell Brook’s career on Saturday night.
Manchester’s former lightweight world champ Anthony Crolla reckons the 149lbs catchweight bout, at his local arena, could have already been won and lost on the scales on Friday morning.
Khan’s clash with Brook takes place on Saturday in Manchester
And he is not sure Khan’s decision to take his training camp to Colorado – to work with new trainer Brian McIntyre and former foe Terence Crawford – for this career-defining fight is the right move.
The 35-year-old United super-fan broke down the battle for SunSport, with the five key areas the fight will be decided.
WEIGHT
It is a very clever thing for Khan to control, with both men coming under the 149lb catchweight limit. at 148lb.
I think it could be the biggest deciding factor in the fight and it is only going to weaken Kell.
But I was really impressed by how good Kell looked at the media work-out on Thursday.
Kell has a fantastic nutritionist who told me Khan’s biggest mistake is giving Brook seven months’ notice for this fight so he can do the weight.
Kell will be big when he rehydrates, I saw Canelo do it when he boxed Callum Smith.
On the Friday on the scales I thought Canelo was way too little to beat Callum but by the time the fight started he made Callum look like his little brother.
MIND
Kell has got to keep his gameplan in check because Amir has played a blinder in the build-up.
Khan’s tongue is sharper than Kell’s so he should not get involved in that stuff.
It’s so important for Kell to stick to his gameplan and not get sucked in.
All these big fights need a great gameplan. These guys have not been hit on the chin in 8oz gloves for a long time so they both need to be clever.
CHINS
Khan gets called ‘chinny’ but I think that’s crazy, he has been knocked out but almost only by elite fighters like Canelo and Danny Garcia.
Kell’s chin isn’t a problem but both of his eye sockets have been broken and they will be a vulnerability and something for Khan to target.
The careers of both boxers are on the line
POWER
Speed gives you power and Khan has the speed. But you can also generate a lot of power with timing and that is Kell’s speciality.
They are two very different types of power that both guys are known for and they can both end a fight inside the distance.
CORNER
It looks like a great move for Khan to go and train with Crawford and Brian McIntyre but I think it is a massive risk.
Yes, he deserves credit for getting out of his comfort zone, going to train alongside a former opponent and pound-for-pound star.
But you can only gel with a fighter and trainer so much.
If Khan suffers a crisis and has to come back to his corner for advice or guidance or saving, the relationship is not there to know how to handle it.
In a fight this huge you need someone in your corner who knows you inside out, who knows exactly what to say in the heat of battle, when it is all coming on top. That is exactly what Kell has with Dominic Ingle.
There are two ways to look at; it’s great that Khan has gone away from home, gone old-school. But it’s a huge risk because he has absolutely no history with the trainer he is with, for what could be the biggest fight of his career.
Khan vs Brook – ring walk time, undercard, TV channel and live stream info for HUGE fight night
Watch ‘Million Dollar’ Crolla the Lightweight Boxing Show Friday’s at 5pm on youtube.
