Kell Brook: Amir Khan is my main target

Kell Brook says Amir Khan is his “main target” and believes a battle of Britain showdown between the pair is the closest it has ever been.

Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently held further talks with Khan’s camp and has pencilled in possible dates of May 20 or May 27 for the long-awaited domestic dust-up.

The Sheffield fighter could first defend his IBF welterweight title against Errol Spence, while ring legend Manny Pacquiao has also been mentioned as a possible opponent, but Khan remains Brook's no.1 choice.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

“It’s been going on way too long; the British public need to have this fight. He’s got nowhere else to go,” Brook told Sky Sports.

“This is the best that we’ve ever, ever had in talks; we’ve even been talking venues. We are really, nearly there.

“I don’t’ want to say too much and scare him off, I don’t want to scare Khan off. I just want to sit back, be reserved and let the team make the fight happen and then I’ll give it to him.

“The timing is right, it has to happen now. It needs to happen, for me, I’ve always been willing and ready to make the fight happen.”

Brook, when asked if he had a personal message for Khan replied, “Just pull your finger out and get down to business; get this locked off, get this fight signed.

“Forget all the egos involved, let’s just make it happen, me and you will make a bag full of money and we will give all that the world of boxing has been wanting to see, a real great fight.”

Brook suffered his first defeat after 36 straight victories when he moved up two weight divisions to take on middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin in September.

Hearn and his team would like ‘Special K’ to fight at light middleweight but Brook is keen to remain in the division he currently is.

“The team around me want me to move to 154lbs because they know I perform better at the higher weight. But because I’m stubborn and I’m world champion at 147lbs, I want to stay down here.

Live Fight Night International

“We’re talking about this Spence character, he’s mandatory, we’ve even been talking about Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman, there are all these fights and we’ve wanted to have these fights for years but I’m stubborn and I really want to stay down here at 147.

“We’re in a predicament now, what do we do; 154 or 147 where do we go? We’re still in talks with many different options, but Amir Khan is still my main target, it’s got to be him.”