Amir Khan 34-5 (21) is planning a summer return to the ring, but it won’t be against domestic rival Kell Brook.
The 33-year-old bounced back from his sixth-round knockout loss to Terence Crawford in April with a fourth-round stoppage of overmatched Billy Dib in Saudi Arabia last July. He hasn’t fought since.
“Hopefully, I’ll announce a date around Ramadan time. I want to fight around summertime,” said Khan to iFL TV. “I’ve got deals on the table for America, I’ve got a UK fight, and I’ve got a fight in Saudi Arabia. I’m going to look at all the options and see what the best deal is. Let’s see what deals are out there.
“I don’t mind working with Matchroom. Hopefully, I’ll find out in the next couple of weeks what direction I want to go. I still feel like I’ve got a lot left in me. I’ve made some money in the sport. I’m thinking one or two more fights, and then let’s see where it goes from there.”
Khan has long been linked with Brook in a fight that would do big numbers in the UK, but it now looks like this fight will die on the vine.
“I think he’s at 154 now, and I’m still at 147. I don’t think it makes a difference now. He’s gone off to the next weight division, and I respect that. I don’t think that fight is going to happen, so we have to move on and look at other names now,” he said.
Khan remained tight-lipped on who his next opponent might be.
“When I have a date set, I’m going to go with whatever name is out there and whatever opponent I can get,” said Khan.
“When I was chasing opponents, I didn’t get the names that I wanted, and I wasted a lot of my career doing that. I’ve had 39 fights, and that’s a lot of fights, really.
“It was at the highest level as well at the highest level of boxing, fighting top names like Crawford and Canelo (Alvarez), all the biggest names in boxing. I’ve had a great career. I want to finish off with a few more fights, and then take it from there. I love the sport, and that’s the reason why I still want to fight.”
After 15 years in the punch-for-pay ranks, Khan knows he is closing in on the end of his career.
“It’s hard to walk away from it. I don’t want to be one of those fighters that walks away from it and then wants to come back again,” said Khan. “I’ve had 15 world title fights, and I’ve been in the ring with the biggest names in the biggest fight of the year and the best fight of the year.
“It’s hard to walk away from the sport, because once I walk away, I know I’m going to miss it. I’m going to make sure that when I do call it a day, it’s going to be at the right time. I am 33 now and coming close to the end of my career, but I’m making the most of it.”
