kell brook
IBF World Welterweight champion Kell Brook celebrates after beating Jo Jo Dan Getty

IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook has taken a swipe at British boxer Amir Khan saying he "wants to destroy him". Brook and Khan were scheduled to face each other this summer, but it did not materialize as reports emerged that Khan had priced himself out of the fight.

The 29-year-old Brook, who will face Canadian Kevin Bizier on 26 March, said: "Absolutely (when talking about the fight), it was close. But you saw him on twitter. He was talking like he was the champion. The Khan kid has delusions, but we weren't getting dictated to when we are the world champion. I'll take care of the mandatory (challenge of Bizier) and that will free up some big fights," as quoted by the Guardian.

Khan who is a former light-welterweight champion will take on current WBC Middleweight title-holder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez at Las Vegas on 7 May. Khan, in fact will jump two weight divisions to take part in the fight, claiming that he will become the biggest name in sport after beating the Mexican at the T-Mobile Arena.

Brook added: "I want Khan but I think his demands were a way of avoiding the fight. He sees it as too much of a risk, he's gone for Canelo. Even if he loses, he can say that big weight difference was the factor. So I understand why he took the fight because there's also a big pot of money."

"When it first got announced I thought there is no chance he can beat Canelo. But now I think he could do well. If he listens to his coach and follows the precedent of how to beat Canelo - given in the Floyd Mayweather fight - Khan could do well. I still think Canelo wins; he is a proud Mexican who will find a way and nail this Khan kid at some point."

"I don't want him hurt, we're both from Britain and fighting away from home, against these Americans and Mexicans, I want Khan to win. If he does - fantastic. I'm not praying he gets splattered but when it comes to me and him, in this country, I want to destroy him. He's got no respect for me and I've come up the hard way."