You must imagine that Conor Benn will be watching when Amir Khan and Kell Brook finally get in the ring on Saturday night. For as long as I can remember, those two have been the best welterweights in Britain, enjoying considerable success on the world stage, but it’s getting to the point now where I think that Benn believes he is the man.
The last few years in the careers of Khan and Brook have seen both men take on hard fights that have probably put incredible milage on their careers. The COVID-19 pandemic hurt many fighters due to inactivity but that hits harder when you’re a fighter facing the end of your career, when there’s hardly any time to make up. Khan and Brook definitely fall into that category.
For Benn, he has spent the last couple of years blitzing his way through several tests in impressive fashion, showing the type of promise that has excited those who are invested in him. Samuel Vargas, Adrian Granados, and Chris Algieri have all been dealt with and Benn might look at the winner of Saturday’s fight as the next step in his progression in what would be huge event in Britain.
Is that the route he wants to go down though? His enthusiasm and ambition are two qualities that I admire greatly, and I know he’s desperate to become a world champion. He’s said that many times and it’s the ultimate prize for every boxer, so if he really wants to be a champion at welterweight, I think he should put himself on a path that will get him there rather than facing the winner of Khan and Brook.
Terence Crawford, along with Errol Spence, is the best fighter at 147lbs. In the last three years, the brilliant champion from Nebraska has shared a ring with both Khan and Brook, and he had it all his own way. Although dominant, I’d expect Khan and Brook to have given better performances going back a few more years, but the ease of Crawford’s victories tells me that neither fighter can make an impact at the highest level anymore. That won’t help Benn if he wants to compete with the best.
The argument to that is what Benn wants to do with his profile and if he wants to guarantee himself a huge payday. Khan and Brook have been huge draws over the past decade, generating huge crowds and PPV buys, and it could benefit Benn’s crossover appeal if he were to fight either man in what would be certain to be a marquee event.
It’s a big decision for Benn to make and only he can make it, but I believe that being world champion must be the priority. He’s already on his way to becoming a big star due to his family background, his confident approach, and his exciting style. A world title fight against a leading name at welterweight would be a big attraction in Britain, and if victorious, it’s possible Benn’s profile would grow even bigger without the contributions of Khan or Brook.