By Frank Warren

Will they or won't they? Is Kell Brook v Amir Khan about to become the new Mayweather v Pacquiao? I do not mean in terms of magnitude- it can never really be that, even as a high class domestic dust-up. But in terms of the gestation period.

It took M and P over five years to get it on, I'm not suggesting it will take as long for Brook and Khan to sort their but I would not bet on it taking place for at least twelve months- maybe even longer. It is an intriguing contest of styles and skill, but Khan is obviously In no hurry to settle what is fast becoming a grudge match in the mould of the super fight taking place in Las Vegas on 2nd of May.

In any case, both Britons surely will be in the congregation at the MGM grand when Mayweather and Pacquiao finally meet, Hoping to be the big fight "bridesmaid" who catches the bouquet thrown by the winner, and maybe his next opponent.

Logically Brook V Khan it is a pairing that is a natural but when was logic ever a word prominent in boxing's lexicon? Brook certainly did not look like a member of the walking wounded when he quickly overcame a hapless and hopeless challenger in Jo-Jo Dan in his IBF welterweight title defence last week. The Romanian seemed more like Desperate-Dan, I thought.

Brook had obviously recovered well from the stabbing incident six months ago but let's not get carried away, he'll need a tougher opposition than that to convince me that he can outsmart and out speed Khan. If it ever happens of course

***

Brain damaged and bankrupt is no way for any boxer to end up, especially an Olympic champion.

Whatever we think of Audley Harrison now there can be only be sympathy  for the man who promised so much but delivered so little in his 13-year professional career.

The southpaw super-heavyweight champion from Sydney 2000 claims he is suffering from vision and balance problems, moodiness and irritability and that his decision to quit at the ripe old fighting age 43 has been prompted research into concussion and brain injuries, and after consulting medical specialists.

Well, there are those among us who believe he needed his head examined to have carried on for as long as he did when it was apparent he was washed up, or even to have turned pro in the first place (though of course there were a million reasons why he did).

Seduced by the BBC's ridiculous £1 million bung in exchange for his amateur headguard and vest, the self-promoting Harrison proceeded to raid Palookaville to hand-pick his own pushover opponents

So much so it became apparent that the BBC's investment was a  scandalous waste of licence payers' money which eventually led to them terminating their association with boxing.

When Harrison signed with the BBC, Greg Dyke, then Director-General, called me and asked "Can he fight?" I told him that he was charismatic and as an amateur had done what he had to do but that I wasn't sure whether he was right for the pro game. Sadly I was right.

Dear old Audley had the amateur game sussed. He worked the system perfectly, knowing how to score with the counter punches that caught the eyes of the judges and how to box on the back foot without taking risks.

But when it came to the rigours and hazards of the prize ring, he seemed to have neither the heart nor the flexibility to adapt. He gave the impression that while he liked boxing, he did not really like fighting for a living. He was never a warrior like Ricky Hatton or Amir Khan.

With seven losses in his 38-fight career he became the Eddie the Eagle of boxing, finally crash landing at Sheffield's Motorpoint Arena  two years ago when he was bombed out in 70 seconds by big-hitting Deontay Wilder, the fearsome heavyweight who is now the WBC champion.

Thus those 13 years of hurt – for the fans as well as himself – concluded with him being caught by the first punch the 6ft 7in Wilder threw and he said he would call it quits before changing his mind, vainly insisting he could still win the world title.

Harrison, known to be a frequent poker player at the tables in Las Vegas,  also admits he has been wayward with his earnings and could face bankruptcy in the UK because of huge tax demands.

We've all done our share of Audley bashing, me included. It was me who labelled him Fraudley.

No British boxer has been more mocked or vilified.

But to his credit he remained affable and approachable and more than willing to talk, which he did volubly and at length.

If only Harrison bashed opponents' noses as fiercely as he did our ears he would have been world champion and not a lampooned contender who threw only one half-hearted punch before being splattered by David Haye in his pathetic attempt to win the title.

I am shocked if he really does have brain damage, but you never know with Audley whether it is all bullshine or not. People say strange things in boxing.

***

About the only thing Wladimir Klitscho and Harrison have in common, apart from winning an Olympic gold medal before their careers took off in vastly different directions, is that they are both men of letters. Harrison has a BSc degree, while Klitschko, like his now retired brother Vitali, is a PhD.

Both insisted on doing their own thing promotionally but the difference is that Klitschko also listened to sage advice from experienced men in the fight game like Peter Kohl and Bernd Boente in Germany who know the boxing scene inside out.

I am delighted that BoxNation have secured Wladimir's defence against Bryant Jennings at Madison  Square Garden on 25 April because it is the opportunity for the Ukrainian to celebrate new-found fatherhood by wooing an American audience who have never really been impressed with his safety-first style.

I have always respected their intelligence and professionalism of the Klitschkos but they never clicked in America where they like to see heavyweights get stuck in. Which is why the new WBC Champion, Deontay Wilder is such a big hit in every sense.  Neither Wladimir nor his brother have really had the devil in them, as Mike Tyson did.

So this fight against Bryant, an unbeaten American, is his chance to win over the sceptical US fans. If Klitschko, who has just edged past 39, beats Bryant, as he should, he has a mandatory WBO defence against Tyson Fury and the one thing I will say about that match is that he will be facing a live opponent.

Fury may have his doubters but he matches Klitschko in many departments like their size and skilful use of his jab.  Believe me, he will give it a go, unlike some of those Wladimir has fought before.  There's a good chance we can get it on over here rather than in Germany but in the end it comes down to money and that's the commodity Klitschko and co appreciate more than anything else. You cannot believe how mean they are when it comes to negotiating.  But that's the name of their game.

***

Billy-Joe Saunders is keenly awaiting the outcome of Irishman Andy Lee's WBO middleweight title defence against another undefeated American, Peter Quillan, in Brooklyn on Saturday week.  Both he and his new best friend, Chris Eubank Jnr (I'm kidding!) will be fighting on the same bill at Wembley on 9 May, though of course not against each other again. Just yet. Eubank will be defending his newly won WBA Interim title and Saunders wants a testing warm-up before taking on either Lee or Quillan, another tasty world title scrap for which we want our man to have home advantage.

To subscribe to BoxNation go to www.boxnation.com