Kell Brook ‘has never been as dedicated’ while Amir Khan is ‘making sacrifices’ for ‘elite-level fight’, says promoter Ben Shalom | Boxing News

Kell Brook and Amir Khan’s gruelling training camps will ensure their grudge match “is in the top 10 sporting events of 2022”, says promoter Ben Shalom.

Brook is in the Fuerteventura heat while Khan is in the snowy mountains of Colorado as they prepare to finally settle their animosity on February 19, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

BOXXER promoter Shalom said about Brook: “He is being watched carefully and is training amazingly.

“I spoke to his dad – they have never seen him so up for a fight. And obviously he has fought Gennadiy Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr and Shawn Porter.

“But he has never been as dedicated as this.

“Kell is in a new world that nobody has witnessed him in.

“He is doing everything asked of him, he is training relentlessly, he isn’t on his phone! This is the fight of his life.”

Khan has sought out his former opponent Terence Crawford, and his trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, to whip him into shape.

Shalom said: “Amir, similarly, is having a great camp in the US – on his own in the most difficult camp of his life where, apparently, they are absolutely killing him!

“His wife is in Dubai. There is so much sacrifice going on.

“It becomes more exciting when you realise how seriously they are taking it.

“This will be an elite-level fight.

“Kell fought for a world title only last year and there were a lot of mistakes in the training camp. He didn’t even take Dominic Ingle over for that fight.

“This fight is in the top 10 sporting events of 2022.”

Brook believes he has sensed weakness in Khan’s preparation: “Amir is mentioning that he’s got niggles. He’s putting it out there that he’s negative.”

He also questioned Khan’s decision to build a brand-new training base: “His trainer has never worked with him – he doesn’t know how to push Amir.”

Khan has warned that training alongside Crawford will give him the edge to beat Brook: “I feel like I’m 25 or 26 again, at the peak of my career.

“I can’t see Brook beating me.

“I’m a better skilled fighter. I have been in with better opposition.”

Khan has been tipped to win inside the distance by his new trainer McIntyre: “After seeing what Crawford did to Kell, I believe that Amir can do the same thing.”

Khan and Brook are contracted to weigh-in at 149lbs (two pounds above the welterweight limit) and will incur a six-figure fine for every pound they go above the limit.

Sky Sports Boxing schedule

Sunday January 30 – Top Rank in Tulsa
Robson Conceicao vs Xavier Martinez – WBC super-featherweight title eliminator

Saturday February 5 (targeted) – BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin – IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles

Saturday February 19 – BOXXER in Manchester
Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
Frazer Clarke’s pro debut

Saturday February 26 – BOXXER and Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall – undisputed super-lightweight titles

Saturday March 5 – Top Rank in Fresno
Jose Ramirez vs Jose Pedraza