Khan and Brook call in extra security for raucous weigh-in ahead of gudge fight

This may be a fight which is past its best – yet people haven’t gone off it.

The big-fight feel hit Manchester as Amir Khan and Kell Brook tipped the scales ahead of their long-awaited grudge match.

Khan and Brook both made the contracted 10st 9lb weight limit in front of a raucous 2,000-strong crowd at the Manchester Central Conference Centre on Friday afternoon.

There will be no £100,000-per-pound fine for either, and now it is finally time for the fight.

Fans had queued for hours outside despite Storm Eunice arriving into the city.

This is a clash which has been 19 years in the making so they were happy to wait a little longer to see their heroes in the flesh despite getting drenched.

It was an electric atmosphere when the main event fighters arrived on stage.

Yorkshireman Brook had to endure more boos but there were still a smattering of Sheffield supporters in the crowd to roar him on.

Bolton star Khan was no doubt the favourite but he is the underdog in the ring on Saturday.

There had been fears there may be a clash at the weigh-in after a feisty press conference on Thursday was marred by racism accusation and homophobic jibes.

The British Boxing Board of Control had urged those running the event that extra security had to be in place to avoid the pair coming together.

They still faced off and exchanged words as they were held back from coming together.

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Whatever they were saying was drowned out by the loud music and roars from the crowd.

Eventually they were pulled apart.

Khan vanished from the scene, skipped the Sky Sports interview and, apart from a small kerfuffle in the corner involving his entourage, the event passed without incident.

Brook returned to the stage to soak up the atmosphere to a mixed reception from the crowd as his rival made his exit through the side door and was mobbed by rain-soaked supporters waiting outside.

There is speculation that there will be a further weigh-in before the fight.

The message from those close to the fight is that there is no rehydration clause and no check weigh-in on Saturday.

But those among the Khan camp haven’t been so sure of that matter which leaves a mystery around the whole matter.

Whatever happens – or doesn’t – on Saturday, it won’t stop the fight. Finally, it seems these two will share a ring.

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It is a clash which was born out of a sparring session when the two were just teenagers in 2003.

It should have happened in 2014, and again in 2018.

But it has taken them both to be in the twilight of their careers to get a deal over the line.

Now the meeting of two of Britain’s best at welterweight in the last 10 years will happen, even if they are far from the pinnacle of their careers.

Of course it is not the fight it would have been. But there is no doubt it is still a big one with 22,000 tickets sold for Manchester Arena and over 500,000 expected to buy on pay-per-view.

It has not gone stale as Khan and Brook finally ready themselves to settle off their rivalry.

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