Amir Khan Dismisses Kell Brook's Challenge: "Fight Someone in the Top 50"

After Kell Brook's one-sided win over Matthew Hatton yesterday in Sheffield, he chose to call out 140-pound contender and former titlist Amir Khan, who likely is planning a move to welterweight after his May 19 rematch with Lamont Peterson, win or lose.

Khan used Twitter to respond, and I promise I'd love to not nitpick and just enjoy these two engaging in their press feud again -- nothing new, just re-energized now with Brook so thoroughly dominating Hatton -- but I kind of have to.

Now I'm not a fancy big city lawyer, but there are a couple issues here. Let's discuss them.

First of all, it needs to be addressed that before the fight, Amir Khan said he felt Kell Brook would lose to Hatton. He said Hatton was a better fighter. It was, frankly, rubbish, and I'm sure Khan knew it was, but he picked against Brook for ... whatever reason. I'm not really sure how that would annoy Brook, since he won so easily, and I truly, without meaning disrespect to Matthew, do not think that Amir Khan assessed the matchup and thought Hatton was going to win. I just can't be convinced of that.

Second, what the hell is "the top 50"? Pound-for-pound? I'm not going to run it through my brain here too thoroughly, but no, Hatton is not in the pound-for-pound top 50. Brook probably is. Khan is. Or does he mean the top 50 welterweights? Jeez, and people thought I was harsh on Hatton by pointing out that he's an incredibly limited fighter and probably not a true top 15 welterweight whose European title run was b-o-g-u-s bogus, as much as any paper title in all of boxing has been over the last couple years (I know, I'm mean, but let's be serious).

Third, let's be really really really clear about this: Two fights ago, Amir Khan fought Paul McCloskey, who is to the junior welterweight division essentially what Hatton is to the welterweight division, but with a less famous last name and a more "stylish" approach. I rate McCloskey slightly higher than I do Hatton, but they're in the same league.

I mean, more likely than anything, it's just typical Khan trash talk, which is fine, but I can't help myself. We talkin' about McCloskey, man. What are we talkin' about?!

Honestly, let's say Khan beats Lamont Peterson on May 19. I would love to see Khan vs Brook. They could put together a big show in the UK with that one, with a great turnout in London or Manchester or anywhere else with a big enough arena to properly house it, and it would be a meaningful fight. Plus they seem to genuinely not like each other, which I always enjoy. (If Peterson were to win again, I think my interest would be kind of sapped, actually, until Khan got a win over someone in the top 50.)