Khan v Brook betting tips: Where will the fight be won and lost?
Analysis and odds for Khan v Brook
Long-time rivals Amir Khan and Kell Brook will end years of back-and-forth trash-talking when they face each other in a much-anticipated grudge bout at a 149lb catchweight this weekend.
It is a case of better late than never for the two British fighters, whose contest in Manchester should still attract plenty of eyeballs not least because they seem evenly matched despite contrasting styles.
Here we look at the respective skill sets of the 35-year-old combatants and whether that gives an indication of who punters should be backing in Khan v Brook betting tips.
Speed
Unquestionably Khan. Brook is not cumbersome by any measure but his opponent’s rapid hand speed and footwork, his ability to get in and out of danger and crucially get off the first punch – the jab could be crucial for Khan – is well noted.
Khan, a former unified light-welterweight champion, may not be as quick as he once was and there were signs he was slowing down against Terence Crawford in 2019 but he is still likely to be the faster of the two.
Power
Khan’s ability to overwhelm his foes with punches they do not see coming has largely been responsible for the 21 stoppages he has gained from his 34 wins to go with five defeats, but Brook is more heavy-handed.
This should not be billed as ‘speed v power’, which is too simplistic. Certainly on the world stage, former IBF welterweight titlist Brook (39-3, 27KOs) has relied as much on timing as he has done on outright obliterating previous opponents and he is 7/2 to win by decision or technical decision.
Defence
Khan was renowned for leaving himself wide open in the first half of his career but his work with ex-trainer Virgil Hunter brought out a more pragmatic side. Still, Khan remains vulnerable to being clipped.
Brook, the bigger of the two fighters, arguably has the sharper ring IQ and a more varied set of skills. But this is the bout he has coveted most for a while now so when the sell-out crowd are cheering and the blood is pumping, will he be drawn into a war?
For Khan v Brook betting tips, Coral have a market on either fighter to get knocked down but recover to win, with Khan 13/2 and Brook 7/1.
Conditioning
Khan’s swiftness has meant he has been able to set a high tempo and he has rarely shown signs of gassing as a fight wears on.
Of the two, Bolton-born Khan is more committed to staying on top of his fitness, with Brook often ballooning in weight between fights.
Boiling down to welterweight has proved difficult in the past for the Yorkshireman and, while he has two extra pounds to play with, how he gets down to the weight could be instructive.
Khan is 8/1 to win in the second half of the fight and 28/1 to do so in the last two rounds.
Chin
Khan has suffered some devastating knockout defeats, most notably against Breidis Prescott early on in his career and then Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez following an ill-advised leap to middleweight.
Brook’s three losses have all been inside the distance. Setbacks against Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr necessitated surgery and metal plates to fix breaks in both eye sockets while he was stopped on his feet by Crawford in his last outing.
In terms of Khan v Brook betting tips, that brings 8/13 for the fight not to go the distance into play. The fight is 2/1 to be won inside the first six rounds, the same price for rounds 6-12 and 6/5 to go the distance.
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β¨#KhanBrook | Feb 19 | @Boxxer π₯ pic.twitter.com/awVXrgD8Wf
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) February 15, 2022
Overall
There is a reason why fans have been clamouring for this fight for several years: no-one can say with any degree of certainty who will come out on top.
Looking at the Khan v Brook odds, Brook is the 8/13 favourite while Khan is the 5/4 underdog.
This fight may not have the prestige it undoubtedly would have had when Brook ruled as a 147lb world champion from 2014 to 2017 but both fighters being shop-worn adds an element of intrigue to proceedings.
The victor could receive one more world title shot but there is nowhere for the loser to turn.
Fight night info
Date: 10pm, 19/02/2022
Venue: AO Arena, Manchester
TV: Sky Sports Box Office
All odds and markets are correct at the time of publication
