KELL BROOK slammed rival Amir Khan for quitting against Terence Crawford and accused him of “just looking for a way out”.
Khan, 32, took a low-blow from the WBO welterweight world champion in the sixth round and was pulled out by his corner.
But Khan’s long-time nemesis Brook, who himself bowed down to the brilliance of Errol Spence in 2017, accused the Bolton boxer of taking the easy option in his Madison Square Garden clash.
Brook said: “I thought he quit, he had five minutes to recover.”
“Crawford didn’t hit him clean downstairs, he was just looking for a way out, he was getting beaten in every department.
“He will want to fight me now he’s got nowhere to go.”
Having been dropped in the first round with a left-hook Khan, 32, regained his composure and boxed on in competitive fashion for the remaining five rounds.
Crawford, 31, stepped up the pressure in the fifth and began going to work with relentless swiping attacks until the champion landed a low-blow on the British challenger.
Referee David Fields gave Khan a mandatory recovery break, however, the Bolton boxer was pulled out of the fight by his trainer Virgil Hunter.
Despite obviously falling victim to an accidental low-blow, boxing fans were left questioning Khan’s heart after being pulled from the contest.
One said: "Khan quit. He quit mentally and was looking for a way out. Fortunately for him, the low blow was the perfect reason for him to check out."
Another said: “Khan quit. He quit mentally and was looking for a way out. Fortunately for him, the low blow was the perfect reason for him to check out.”
One commented: "Big fan of Khan but he should probably retire now."
Another commented: "Khan need to retire man no speed left in them legs no chin he’s gonna get hurt."
Khan quit. He quit mentally and was looking for a way out. Fortunately for him, the low blow was the perfect reason for him to check out #CrawfordKhan
Ok its a low blow take up to your 5 minutes and continue the damn fight! What a way to quit Khan ??♀️CONGRATS @terencecrawford
Lots of fighters have knocked Khan out. It takes a special one to make him quit. #CrawfordKhan
Quitter. Khan needs to retire #CrawfordKhan
That has just completely summed up Khans career that absolute joke
Terrence Crawford is the truth. But Amir Khan quit! The beating was too much for him to bare. Khan channeled his inner Robert Duran when he say No Mas vs Sugar Ray Leonard in their second fight. #CrawfordvsKhan #boxing
Big fan of Khan but he should probably retire now. #CrawfordvsKhan
Khan need to retire man no speed left in them legs no chin he’s gonna get hurt
After the stoppage loss Khan revealed the low-blow caused his legs to seize meaning he felt in no shape to continue.
Khan said: “I took a shot below the belt and I could feel it in my stomach and in my legs. I'm normally a warrior – I would never give up in a fight like this.
“My legs kind of seized. I could not continue. I'm not one to give up in any fight, he would have had to knock me out. He hit me with a hard shot below the belt.
I'm going to go back to the drawing board and spend time with my family and see where I go from there.”
It was trainer Hunter who called the contest off having deemed his fighter unable to continue – and after the fight insisted Khan was not "looking for a way out".
Hunter said: "“He indicated to me he was hit in the testicles and it took the life out of him.
“I don't think he was looking for a way out. We don't know what the outcome would be now, but he indicated it was a bad shot.”
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