Amir Khan and Kell Brook will finally clash this weekend having been at loggerheads for around a decade.
A fight when they were at their respective peaks failed to materialise, but fans clearly still want to see the bout, with tickets for it selling out in just ten minutes.
The pair had to be pulled apart by security at an ill-tempered press conference when the bout was announced in November and sparks should fly this weekend.
But the bookies report that the money has been coming for an early Khan knockout.
A William Hill spokesperson said: “The round betting has been extremely lively so far this week. It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for this fight, and punters are expecting all of that bottled up aggression to spill over into an early knockout.
“The worst result for us would be an Amir Khan first round KO. We can’t see it happening and are happy to continue offering a first-round win for the Bolton boy at 66/1, but we’ve seen a fair bit of interest in that price and will be paying out aplenty if he does get the job done within three minutes.”
Here's what you need to know:
Date
Saturday, February 19.
Time
They are expected in the ring between 9 and 10pm.
Venue
The AO Arena in Manchester.
TV information
Sky Sports Box Office from 6pm.
Quotes corner
Amir Khan: “I’m ready, honestly. It’s the hardest I’ve ever trained, I’ve never been this fit, this strong and I can’t wait to show everyone who the boss is. I’ll win this fight and in good style, Kell’s not got a chance.
“Every fight you have to be confident and I’m very confident because training camp has not been easy, being away from my family, my friends, my kids, that’s what’s given me the push and motivated me to train very hard.
“Having Terence Crawford here is a massive motivation for me. He’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, he’s fought me and Kell and the advice he has been giving me in training camp has been brilliant.
“There was never a day I had easy. I’ll do you all proud, it’s the best Amir Khan that’s going to come on Saturday.”
Kell Brook: “He has made a big mistake messing me about for the past seven months.
“This fight should have happened before Christmas. I should have spent Christmas with my family.
“But unfortunately for him I have been training for those seven months.
“It is well known that normally I have eight weeks to get ready for a fight and it is usually just about making the weight.
“But for this fight I have been at the weight for a long time and concentrating on what we need to do.
“I am in fantastic shape, and he will know as soon as that first bell rings that I am coming for business.”
Betting odds
Kell Brook win |
8/11 |
Amir Khan win |
5/4 |
Draw |
16/1 |
Round Betting: *
Kell Brook Round 1 |
33/1 |
Amir Khan Round 1 |
66/1 |
Kell Brook Round 2 |
28/1 |
Amir Khan Round 2 |
50/1 |
Kell Brook Round 3 |
25/1 |
Amir Khan Round 3 |
50/1 |
Kell Brook Round 4 |
20/1 |
Amir Khan Round 4 |
40/1 |
Kell Brook Round 5 |
20/1 |
Amir Khan Round 5 |
33/1 |
Kell Brook Round 6 |
20/1 |
Amir Khan Round 6 |
33/1 |
Kell Brook Round 7 |
16/1 |
Amir Khan Round 7 |
33/1 |
Kell Brook Round 8 |
16/1 |
Amir Khan Round 8 |
33/1 |
Kell Brook Round 9 |
18/1 |
Amir Khan Round 9 |
40/1 |
Kell Brook Round 10 |
22/1 |
Amir Khan Round 10 |
40/1 |
Kell Brook Round 11 |
28/1 |
Amir Khan Round 11 |
50/1 |
Kell Brook Round 12 |
33/1 |
Amir Khan Round 12 |
80/1 |
Kell Brook On Points |
4/1 |
Amir Khan On Points |
13/5 |
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