"I knew I had made enough money, I could chill out"
Amir Khan has admitted that he “did not want to be there” during the Kell Brook fight.
The British rivals fought in February 2022, with Brook winning by sixth-round TKO. Khan later announced his retirement from the sport.
He has now hinted at a fight with Manny Pacquiao while also revealing he did not want to be there during the bout against Brook.
Khan said: “If I fight Manny Pacquiao I think it would be a brilliant fight.
“He’s someone I’ve always looked up to and trained with him so we know each other quite well.
“Time-wise it’s also good for us both. That’s one fight that would lift me up and I’d want to perform because he’s a legend.
“In the last fight with Brook, it wasn’t the same. I knew I had made enough money, I could chill out – I didn’t even want to be there.
“People want to see me fight. People are entertained by watching me so I have to keep performing for them. I’ve then become a people’s fighter.”
On what it is like fighting in a big venue, Amir Khan exclusively told Charlotte Daly on The Hook:
“It’s amazing honestly when you’re walking out and your name is being shouted out. You do get goosebumps. You are nervous as hell.
“Sometimes I think I should have picked another sport. Why am I doing this again?
“But you know you’re ready mentally… it’s just time to go to war and you switch on and your nerves are gone and you’re waiting for that bell to go.”
As the anticipated fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is set to be announced, Khan detailed how his fight camp differs from Fury’s.
“Tyson and me are very different characters. Tyson is a very lively person, he’s fun and jumps about.”
“[Before a fight] with me it was more just praying and having the room nice and calm and settled because I know I’m going to war so my mind needs to be at peace and I need to think about the game plan. I was the total opposite.
“I can see Tyson having a loud room because that’s what he’s been around. I’ve always been around quiet rooms.”
And after a fight, Amir Khan likes to keep his celebrations low-key.
“I would normally go out to dinner with the family or have a little after-party in a hotel room, but I would only be there for five or ten minutes.
“You’ve just been in an arena with loads of noise and people shouting your name so you just want a bit of peace and quiet to bring you down to earth.”
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