Fight Talk: Should Amir Khan and Kell Brook both now retire?
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In this week's Fight Talk we look back at a memorable Saturday night at the AO Arena in Manchester, when Kell Brook convincingly beat Amir Khan in a thrilling battle to settle their bitter feud.
Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr called out Brook shortly after the fight but should 'The Special One' end his illustrious career on a high and retire? We also look at what is next for Khan after he suggested he may never box again following Saturday's loss.
It's Fight Talk - your weekly fix of boxing news.
Brook has the last laugh
Almost two decades after the rivalry first began, Brook finally got the last laugh against Khan in their long-awaited fight.
Khan was hurt on multiple occasions and looked largely unsteady throughout the bout.
Brook dominated for long periods and the referee finally waved off the contest in the sixth round with Khan taking too much punishment.
After the fight, the pair embraced in the middle of the ring and buried the hatchet.
This is how social media reacted...
Rounds one to five
Both fighters made spectacular entrances, and the atmosphere was electric as 19,000 fans in Manchester made themselves heard.
Brook, who was noisily booed on his ring walk, made a great start as he staggered Khan twice in the opening round.
Khan rallied in the second round and showed less vulnerability as he evaded any meaningful shots.
The Bolton fighter then survived late-round barrages from Brook in the third and fourth but the onslaught continued in the fifth.
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Round six - Brook wins via stoppage
Sensing victory, Brook aggressively went for Khan in the early stages of the sixth round and continued his attack until referee Victor Loughlin decided he could not take any more.
This is how the boxing world reacted to Brook's win...
Anthony Fowler had mixed emotions about the fight.
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Coach Peter Fury praised the bravery of Khan for refusing to give up and congratulated Brook on a quality display.
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Much was said about the timing of this fight, with many believing it should have been staged five years ago.
Both boxers are aged 35 and former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton was candid in his assessment of the fight.
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London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell does not believe a rematch is necessary.
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Eubank Jr, Benn or retirement? What's next for Brook?
Following the win, Brook faced pleas to hang up his gloves but was also called out by Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr.
Eubank Jr, who beat Liam Williams at the start of February, immediately challenged Brook on social media.
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Brook replied to Eubank Jr but said the fight must take place at 155lbs.
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The exchanges continued as Eubank Jr responded with an ultimatum.
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Prior to Brook's win over Khan, BBC Radio 5 Live's Steve Bunce predicted the winner of the fight would face Eubank Jr.
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Despite Eubank Jr and Brook trading words on social media, many boxing fans are questioning the former's willingness to take the fight rather than challenge for world titles - as he originally stated he would following the win over Williams in Cardiff.
Eubank Jr wasn't the only fighter calling Brook out.
Benn said he wants to exact revenge on Brook for the damage he inflicted on Khan.
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There's also the possibility Brook may walk away from boxing after a stunning career. The former IBF welterweight champion has 40 wins and only three losses on his professional CV.
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End of the road for Khan?
Khan's future in the sport could be coming to an end after the sixth defeat of his professional career.
"I'll sit down with my family, but I think it could be," Khan said when asked whether this could be his last fight.
Despite the loss to Brook, Khan will go down as one of Britain's best fighters in the past 20 years.
In 2004, he won an Olympic silver aged 17 and went on to unify the light-welterweight division. He never shied away from a challenge and had big nights against Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana, Chris Algieri and more.
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Khan has multiple businesses and charity commitments away from the sport and may decide he has made enough of an imprint on the British fight scene.
What should Khan do next? Let us know on social media using the hashtag #bbcboxing.
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- Published16 October 2022
