Moneyspinning options could be on the table in 2017 for Kell Brook

For in his present incarnation, he is hedging his bets...and about to open the door to a vault full of funds.

A few days ago, IBF welterweight champion Brook talked up the prospect of re-igniting plans to fight Amir Khan - a contest every British boxing fan would savour.

It would be a guaranteed Pay Per View moneyspinner.

But when Manny Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight champion in the early hours of Sunday morning, the prospect of fighting him had the Sheffield fighter in polite form on twitter: ‘@MannyPacquiaoTR unification fight at 147. Yes please #2017.”

Fighting the legendary Pacquiao (59-6-2 KO38)- who beat the man Brook had planned to fight at Bramall Lane last Summer, Jessie Vargas, has opened up another highly profitable avenue to potentially exploit.

The 37-year-old Filipino had announced his retirement in April after beating Timothy Bradley but was back in the ring seven months later and claimed a decisive victory against his American opponent (27-2 KO10) in a unanimous decision in Las Vegas.

Floyd Mayweather was in attendance for the fight but Pacquiao was non-committal when asked whether a rematch with the 49-0 fighter was on the cards. In the post-fight interview in the ring, Pacquiao said: “I don’t know, whoever the people want me to fight, I am not picking an opponent, whoever my promoter gives me I will fight.

“I’m going back to senate and the next fight I talk to Bob (Arum).”

Thirty year old Brook is recovering from surgery to a fractured eye socket, damaged in his first-ever defeat, to middleweight Gennady Golovkin, in London, in September. He took home a fortune from that encounter - and hasn’t finished with big purses yet.