• Welterweight

Khan tells Brook to get in line

Amir Khan beat Julio Diaz last month © PA Photos

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Amir Khan has taken a swipe at Kell Brook, telling his fellow Brit he must prove himself before any thoughts of a meeting in the ring are entertained.

Brook is unbeaten in 29 career fights and he and Khan have sparred verbally, with Brook calling out the former world champion on repeated occasions.

For a meeting to happen, Khan would need to step up to welterweight. That is on the horizon, after another world title shot at light-welterweight, but he says Brook needs to test himself against classy opposition before any fight is agreed.

"To be honest, I think Kell needs to prove himself," Khan told The Sun. "I've proven myself with the likes of Andriy Kotelnik and Marcos Maidana, winning numerous world titles. Three times I've won the world title as a light-welterweight. I've won the WBA Super, the WBA and the IBF world titles.

"I think the only reason he's calling me out is to get that one big payday, whereas I don't need to fight him to prove anything.

"I'm a class above him but he's going to say what he wants, which doesn't bother me. Whatever he wants to say, he can say.

"I've got my dreams and my goals I want to reach. As long as I reach my goals and fight who I want to fight, I'm happy with that.

"At the moment, he's not even on my radar or on my mind. He's just someone who talks about me all the time - and I just let it be.

"We're at different weights and I've not even fought at 147lb yet, but I'm still No. 2 on the WBC rankings. That's way ahead of Brook, so he has to prove himself if he wants to face me.

"If he does that against a decent opponent then definitely, I think the fight could be made. But if not, then I don't think it will ever happen."

Brook was on the brink of a serious test against IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander, but the Sheffield native was forced to pull out on account of injury.

The withdrawal did not come as a surprise to Khan, who said: "He was meant to fight for a world title against Alexander and he pulled out, which I knew all along he would do.

"I thought it was a tough fight for him to take - and he's not one of those guys who would take a tough fight."

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