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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Will Freeman

Has Amir Khan retired? Exactly what was said after Kell Brook defeat

After a stellar career in boxing, Amir Khan may have fought his last fight if his words after the sixth round defeat to Kell Brook on Saturday are anything to go by.

The 35-year-old hinted that he may be hanging up his gloves after he was outclassed by Brook at the AO Arena on Saturday with the fight being stopped in the sixth round.

Khan broke through as a 17-year-old at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning bronze before turning professional with a stellar career behind him, winning the WBA light-welterweight title in 2009 before winning the IBF welterweight title against Zab Judah in 2011.

He also fought Canelo Alvarez in a massive fight in 2016 but was knocked out on that occasion marking the beginning of a decline in his career.

Khan himself admitted that he 'peaked too soon' as a fighter in a wide-ranging post-fight interview.

When asked if he may now retire, Khan said: “40 fights is a lot of fights - winning two world titles, fighting up and down America and around the world.

“I need to sit down with my family, but I think it is more towards the end of my career now, that love for the sport is not there anymore like it was before.

“I used to have that excitement and that push. I just didn’t have it in me I felt quite flat - I think that’s maybe a sign for me to know that I should be calling it a day, but let’s see.

He added: “I just couldn’t get it going - No disrespect to Kell Brook, he put a great performance on, did everything he needed to.

“He was the best man tonight. I had a great, great training camp, but I just couldn’t get going. I was missing quite a lot. Kell was on his A-game, all respect goes out to him.”

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