"First of all, the fight with Algieri is not confirmed yet. Even if it was, I can't believe the people who are talking shit. At the end of the day, I did say that I want to fight the top guys. Obviously I can't fight Floyd or Manny, so Miguel Cotto was another guy I wanted, but he's going on to fight someone else. Broner said he'd fight me, so I said let's do it, but I heard that Broner don't want it either...Just look at my last 10 opponents, regardless if I won or lost, and then look at Kell's. Eddie and Kell are fooling the fans, using my name and saying I'm afraid. All I'm saying is Kell still need to prove himself by fighting A-class fighters like I have done," stated former world champion Amir Khan, who responded to critics who questioned his decision not to face Kell Brook in a proposed June 13 showdown. Check out what he had to say!
BT: Amir, you recently announced that you wanted Chris Algieri as your next opponent. Were you surprised about the reaction you got from some fans?
AK: First of all, the fight with Algieri is not confirmed yet. Even if it was, I can't believe the people who are talking shit. At the end of the day, I did say that I want to fight the top guys. Obviously I can't fight Floyd or Manny, so Miguel Cotto was another guy I wanted, but he's going on to fight someone else. Broner said he'd fight me, so I said let's do it, but I heard that Broner don't want it either. He's saying he wants it on social media, but when it comes down to it, he don't want the fight. I mean, I told everyone that I'd take that fight, but he don't want it, so it leaves me with Algieri, who's fought some good guys. He's beat the likes of Provodnikov, who everyone is saying will be in a Fight of the Year with Matthysse. Then he went the distance with Manny, so I think he's proven.
BT: I think most fans that are criticizing Algieri as an opponent are simply upset because they heard Kell Brook and Eddie Hearn call you out to fight in June.
AK: June 13 is the date he wanted to fight. Ramadan starts June 17. I love my fans, but I don't want to be dieting, and doing everything else I that have to do in training, to fight on June 13 only to turn around and start Ramadan four days later. I need to prepare for that. Even though Ramadan starts mid-June, I need to build up to that. I don't want to be rushing into Ramadan. I want to take my time getting everything prepared for Ramadan instead of rushing into it. That's why I want to fight at the end of May. The last two weeks of May, that's the only time I can fight.
Look, I've been fighting on the world-class level for the past 6 years. He didn't become a world champion until he was 28. I did at 22, third youngest ever in the U.K. Kell Brook's just beaten No No Dan, who is a C-class opponent in my opinion. I mean, he had to knock him out. The only A-class opponent he has faced was Shawn Porter, and that fight was a 50/50 fight. A lot of people thought he lost it and a lot of people thought he won it, so that could've gone any way. He's only faced one A-class opponent. I've faced a few A-class opponents, from the likes of Maidana, Judah, Garcia and Peterson. I mean, win or lose, I faced the top guys in my division, so he can never disrespect me, which Eddie Hearn and other people are trying to do by saying, "Amir's not fighting the top guys." I've fought nothing but top guys. How can Kell Brook or someone come out and say, "Amir's not fighting the top guys and he's not fighting me"? I did it the hard way. I fought the top guys when Kell Brook was fighting bums, and he's still fighting bums now. I've been fighting the top guys; Maidana, Judah, Alexander, and Collazo. These are decent opponents compared to who Kell Brook is fighting, like No No Dan.
Just look at my last 10 opponents, regardless if I won or lost, and then look at Kell's. Eddie and Kell are fooling the fans, using my name and saying I'm afraid. All I'm saying is Kell still need to prove himself by fighting A-class fighters like I have done. He's just riding on my back. I know it's business, but please stop fooling people by lying and trying to make me look bad. If Kell wants to fight me, then he needs to fight a few A-class opponents and build his name up. Instead of looking at the small picture, look at the big picture. We can make our fight bigger, like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, if Kell fights the likes of Maidana, Thurman, or Marquez.
CHECK BACK SOON FOR MUCH MORE FROM AMIR KHAN
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