Amir Khan fears losing his legacy if he gets beaten by his nemesis Kell Brook

Amir Khan revealed the thought of his career being tainted by defeat to nemesis Kell Brook is what has motivated the Bolton fighter ahead of Saturday’s grudge bout.

From winning Olympic silver in 2004 to unifying the light-welterweight division and fighting on the grandest stages in New York and Las Vegas, Khan’s legacy as one of the finest British combatants of his era is already secure.

But he fears an asterisk being affixed to his legacy if Brook has his hand raised in their 10st 9lb catchweight contest at the AO Arena in Manchester, where only bragging rights are at stake for the two former world champions.

That is enough of an incentive for Khan, who insisted he has left no stone unturned in his preparations after surprisingly linking up with former opponent Terence Crawford’s coach Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre in Colorado.

Ahead of his first fight since July 2019, Khan (34-5, 21KOs) said: “You’re always that one fight away from destroying your whole legacy. This is a fight that I could end up losing what I’ve done in my whole career.

“People will be like ‘oh he got beat by Kell Brook’. I have to make sure I do everything. That’s why I was running up hills, I was working so hard, I had to make sure I did everything right because I don’t want to lose to him.

“I don’t like the guy. You can see by looking at people in the eyes how humble and nice they are but he’s not like that.

“People need to see the real side of him. He’s acting the nice guy, he’s trying to show his fans that he’s a nice guy but he’s not. He’s a really bad, bitter person.”

Khan – who scaled 10st 7lbs 5oz at Friday’s weigh-in, with Brook (39-3, 27KOs) one pound heavier but still under the agreed contracted limit – is a slight underdog as bookmakers have