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SPORTS Friday 18 February 2022

Boxing rivals Khan, Brook to settle score 18 years in making

By STEVE DOUGLAS Khan, who claimed he was
AP Sports Writer told to only use one hand
The feud was born in a pre- and to “take it easy” on
Olympic sparring session 18 Brook. “That has stuck with
years ago, when two feisty him. Now he envies my ca-
amateurs were starting out reer and wonders why he
their boxing careers. couldn’t have done what
It will be settled on Satur- I did.”
day, with one of the former Khan went further on Thurs-
world champions maybe day.
getting punched all the “I think Kell’s always been
way into retirement. very obsessed with my ca-
No world titles will be on the reer,” he said at the final
line when Amir Khan and pre-fight news conference.
Kell Brook meet for an all- “He’s been like a fan-boy
British fight at Manchester and I’ve been living in his
Arena that was sold out in head for such a long time
10 minutes. Those days ap- that I think it’s come to
pear long gone. the stage where he’ll say,
Instead, this long-awaited ‘Amir, you need to start
grudge match is about set- paying me some rent.’”
tling an old score. Scratch- Khan (34-5, 21 KOs) is the
ing a big itch. Maybe se- British boxers Amir Khan, left, and Kell Brook, right, speak during a press conference at the more famous of the two, in
curing one last big payday Exchange Hall, in Manchester, England, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Britain owing to his Olympic
for two fighters on the way Associated Press silver medal and in boxing
down from the top of box- worldwide for being the
ing. fight at a mutually agreed were at an England Boxing medal, and can remem- unified light-welterweight
The enmity between the 149-pound catchweight training camp, with both ber what he called “great champion from 2009-12

two 35-year-olds born six has come a few years too looking to get into Britain’s sparring sessions” that in his who later fought and lost
months and about 60 miles late, but British boxing fans squad for the Olympic words saw him “school Kell to big names like Canelo
(100 kilometers) apart in are just happy it’s happen- Games in Athens. in the ring.” Alvarez, Danny Garcia and
northern England is real ing at all. Khan eventually made “He hates me because I Terence Crawford in the
and long-lasting. Their In 2004, Khan and Brook it there, winning a silver gave him a beating,” said United States.q

Nets hope for NYC vaccine mandate

change so Irving can play

By BRIAN MAHONEY play in public venues. scription to write the city
AP Basketball Writer Adams later agreed that and state mandates. So I
NEW YORK (AP) — The there were problems with think we are hopeful and
Brooklyn Nets are hopeful the rule, which doesn’t ap- we’re patient and we’ll
of a change to a local vac- ply to visiting players, but wait for hopefully the best
cine mandate that would said he is hesitant to make outcome, but whatever
make Kyrie Irving available a change. outcome it is is out of our
for home games, one that The Nets hope he will. hands.”
New York City’s mayor is “Obviously, we’re hope- Silver said it’s odd that the
“struggling” with whether ful but it’s really out of our mandate only applies to
to make. hands,” coach Steve Nash players on the local teams
NBA Commissioner Adam said before the Nets beat while an unvaccinated op- Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives past Miami Heat
Silver said Wednesday he the Knicks 111-106 at Madi- ponent is allowed to play. guard Kyle Lowry during the first half of an NBA basketball
believed Mayor Eric Adams son Square Garden without “I mean, I think if ultimately game, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Miami.
should look at the man- Irving. that rule is about protect- Associated Press
date, which requires ath- “We just have to be patient ing people who are in the cinated can play in Bar- was asked at a news con-
letes playing for the city’s and hope that the odd- arena, it just doesn’t quite clays but the home player ference later about Silver’s
teams to be vaccinated ity of it prevails in a sense, make sense to me that an can’t,” Silver said in an in- comments and whether he
against the coronavirus to but that’s not in my job de- away player who’s unvac- terview with ESPN.Adams might adjust the rule. q