Ingle Gym split over whether Kell Brook should retire after Amir Khan fight

The Ingle Gym appears split over whether Kell Brook, it’s most famous son this century, should quit boxing while he’s back on top.
Steve Jones
By Steve Jones
Published 22nd Feb 2022, 12:27 BST
Updated 22nd Feb 2022, 12:27 BST
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Revitalised former welterweight world champion Brook, now 35, admitted to being ‘flavour of the month’ once again after his convincing sixth-round stoppage of Amir Khan at Manchester Arena on Saturday night.

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He said: “I feel 23 once more. Fresh, strong, alive, full of running. I’m the main man again. I’m glad I’ve closed the book on this rivalry but I still love challenges and the competition.”

Kell Brook (left) punches Amir Khan during their Welterweight contest at AO Arena on February 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)Kell Brook (left) punches Amir Khan during their Welterweight contest at AO Arena on February 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
Kell Brook (left) punches Amir Khan during their Welterweight contest at AO Arena on February 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
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Brook has yet to make a decision on his future but has already been called out by rising welterweight star Conor Benn and middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr.

The Special One’s stablemate Kid Galahad was in his corner last weekend and told The Star: “I just don’t think Benn’s ready for that level yet.

"As for Eubank, what weight would he come down to? If it’s light-middleweight then maybe.

"It needs to be someone who can get him out of bed. He needs some fire in his belly.”

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Last week Brook’s step-dad Terry said motivation had been lacking in some training camps without the draw of a big name or fight.

Brook jumped up two weight divisions to fight Gennadiy Golovkin at middleweight in 2016, but lost in five rounds after breaking his eye socket.

Speaking after Saturday’s fight, Brook’s head coach Dominic Ingle said: “Kell did put the work in. Whether there’s any more fights, whether he needs to do any more, is another matter because you are remembered for your last fight.”

"I’d love Kell to quit now,” Johnny Nelson, who retired as a world champion, told Sky Sports.

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"If you leave at the top you can sleep at night. You are not going to have bad dreams about ‘I used to be this good’.”

Amer Khan, Brook’s assistant coach, urged him to make a decision on his future soon.

He said: "If he does decide to fight, he needs to fight more or less straight away and use this last camp as a spring board. He doesn’t need to unravel all this training and hard work he’s done.

"Maybe there is one left in him. It’s a win-win situation as it’s all about Kell now and what he wants to do.”