The fight most fight fans want to see around the world especially in the United Kingdom is Kell Brook vs. Amir Khan. However, Khan seems to have a fight lined up with Chris Algieri, and Kell Brook will likely have a fight in June. So for that fight, it seems like we will have to wait. Paulie Malignaggi feels the fight will happen but next year.
“I think we’re about a year away from seeing that fight,” Malignaggi told Behind The Gloves. “You can’t do it to June 13th because you can’t market it properly and later in the year you can’t do it because it’s an outdoor fight. I think realistically it’s about a year away.”
Malignaggi feels Brook looked great against Jo Jo Dan and in the interim a fight with Brandon Rios would be good for him.
“Kell Brook looked phenomenal in the fight,” Malignaggi said. “I’m not saying Jo Jo Dan is a world-beater, but he’s an honest boxer and he did some things no one’s ever done to him. He named Marquez and Brandon Rios. I’m not saying Brandon is a bad fighter, but he almost didn’t belong in the names he mentioned. Maybe Eddie Hearn’s has been in contact with Bob Arum for June. Brandon is a durable guy, but I don’t know if he’ll handle Kell. It’ll be a big fight, Rios coming off a big won over Alvarado.”
Malignaggi feels this won’t be a Ricky Hatton-Junior Witter situation because both fighters have powerful guys backing them.
“I think those are just things that are said to build up the fight and put the fight aside because it’s a huge risk. I remember Ricky Hatton saying the same thing about Junior Witter. I seriously believe Ricky didn’t fight Witter. But this fight is too big to not happening because, unlike Witter, Kell Brook has a big time promoter behind him, who can make things happen. Witter didn’t have the right people behind him to force that fight. Both guys got powerful people behind him, so they will make the fight. I think Amir wants it, I think he wants it at the right time.”
