Why Kell Brook is finally at peace after brilliant Amir Khan stoppage

Having waited almost two decades for his chance, Brook rolled back the years by brilliantly stopping his old adversary in six rounds at a sold-out Manchester Arena on Saturday night to bring home the bragging rights.

Sheffield’s most famous boxing son this century, now 35, had been in training for seven months ready to take the opportunity when it finally came – and followed up on his pre-fight promise to finally prove himself the better fighter, 17 years after the late Brendan Ingle claimed he was.

Olympic silver medallist Khan, also 35, looked a shadow of his former self and was wobbled twice in the first round, but bravely battled on.

Khan repeatedly tried to shrug off Brook’s ‘chocolate brownies’ though he looked vulnerable every time one connected.

As the punishment mounted without reply, the bout was stopped in round six.

“No disrespect to Amir, but it felt so easy in there," said former welterweight world champion Brook, who has called out Khan throughout his career.

A cacophony of boos which greeted the Ingle Gym fighter on his walk to the ring inside the 22,000-capacity venue had turned to cheers by the time the one-sided contest was over.

“I did everything they wanted me to do and I still took care of business.” Brook said of Team Khan’s numerous demands, which his camp felt were an attempt to hinder and undermine him.

Brook’s trainer Dominic Ingle said the fight would be won by whoever had the most left in the tank. On this evidence, there was only one winner.

‘The Special One’’s nutritionist Greg Marriot moved in with him last year to manage every aspect of his diet and the pair insisted making weight had been easy this time around, despite Brook’s previous struggles reaching 147lbs.

That allowed him to put on a ruthless display of aggression.

“The better man won,” Khan admitted post-fight.

"Kell came trained, he came ready, and he was brilliant.”

The last dance for Khan and Brook?

Both rising welterweight star Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr, who beat Brook’s former stable-mate Liam Williams in a middleweight contest earlier this month, want to fight The Special One next.

“It’s safe to say he’s still got it,” said Benn, the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel.

Brook was in agreement – but admitted he may bow out while his stock is high.

“This is the icing on the cake in my career, I can feel at peace knowing I’ve beaten him. Do I want to carry on? I’m going to sit down with my family and consider my future in the sport.

"They won’t remember all of my fights they’ll just remember me fighting Amir Khan.”

For Khan, an Olympic silver medallist who unified the light-welterweight division and fought on the grandest stages in America, Saturday looked a case of one fight too many, especially after almost three years of inactivity.

"I think it could be (my last fight),” he said.

“I’ve always said I never want boxing to retire me, I want to retire from boxing. Too much of that (punishment) can be sometimes harmful in the future.”