Kell Brook channelled years of frustration into one of the most polished performances of his career as he stopped bitter rival Amir Khan inside six rounds, on this day in 2022.

Brook had courted a showdown against an opponent he had come to despise for several years only to be constantly rebuffed.

But, after being given an opportunity at Manchester’s AO Arena, the then 35-year-old grasped it with both hands in a long-awaited 149lb catchweight bout.

The Sheffield fighter shrugged off being vociferously jeered to the ring by a crowd largely in support of Bolton-born Khan and repeatedly left his foe on rubbery legs with countless punishing shots to the head.

Khan refused to buckle and stayed upright throughout but he absorbed some vicious blows and his face was heavily marked when referee Victor Loughlin stepped in to wave off the fight 51 seconds into the sixth round.

“This grudge match is the icing on the cake for me, I can live at peace with myself and my career,” said Brook.

“You could see on my face that I was absolutely over the moon with the win. I’ll be remembered for this fight now forever.”

Khan, fighting at the venue where he first won a world title in 2009, only showed flashes of the form which saw him become a unified light welterweight champion more than a decade ago.

While Brook improved his record to 40 wins from 43 fights, the decorated Khan’s future in the sport was left up in the air after the sixth defeat of his professional career in what was his first outing since July 2019.

“I’ll sit down with my family but I think it could be,” Khan replied when asked whether it may be his last fight.

“I’ve always said I never want boxing to retire me, I want to retire from boxing and punishment like that sometimes in boxing, too much of that can be sometimes harmful in the future.”

Amir Khan has been banned from sport for two years following a positive test for a prohibited substance after his fight with Kell Brook.

Olympic medallist Khan was defeated by Brook in the sixth round at Manchester Arena last February.

Khan subsequently retired in May, at the age of 35. He became one of the youngest champions in British boxing history when he won the WBA title aged 22, five years on from claiming silver at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

However, on April 6 of last year, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) notified Khan that the tests carried out following his loss to Brook returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for ostarine, a substance that is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

In July, Khan was charged with two offences: the presence of a prohibited substance and the use of a prohibited substance. 

Though Khan accepted the charges, he claimed his ingestion of ostarine had been unintentional, with his case referred to an independent panel.

That panel heard Khan's case in January and in February deemed that while the fighter had not intentionally ingested the substance, he must serve a two-year ban, as well as disqualifying his result against Brook.

Khan's ban commenced on April 6, 2022 and will expire on April 5 next year.

"This case serves as a reminder that UKAD will diligently pursue anti-doping rule violations in order to protect clean sport," said UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble.

"Strict liability means athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample.

"It is important that all athletes and their support personnel, whatever level they are competing at, take their anti-doping responsibilities seriously. Not doing so risks damaging not only an Athlete's career, but also undermining public confidence in clean sport."

Amir Khan has announced his retirement from boxing aged 35, just under three months after losing to long-time rival Kell Brook.

Former unified light-welterweight world champion Khan was stopped by 36-year-old Brook in the sixth round of their grudge match in Manchester back in February.

Brook subsequently called a day on his boxing career after the all-British bout, and Khan strongly hinted at retiring in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.

The unbeaten Albanian Florian Marku was floated as the next potential fight for Khan, but the 35-year-old has decided to hang up his gloves with a professional record of 34-6.

"It’s time to hang up my gloves. I feel blessed to have had such an amazing career that has spanned over 27 years," Khan posted on Twitter on Friday.

"I want to say a heartfelt thanks and to the incredible teams I have worked with and to my family, friends and fans for the love and support they have shown me."

He accompanied the post with pictures from his greatest nights in the ring, with images from victories over Mexican icon Marco Antonio Barrera, Argentina's Marcos Maidana and American Devon Alexander.

Khan remains one of the youngest world champions in British boxing history, having won the WBA title at the age of 22, while he is Britain's youngest boxing Olympic medalist after claiming lightweight silver in 2004, aged just 17.

Kell Brook has retired from boxing at the age of 36, a little under three months since beating long-time domestic rival Amir Khan.

Former IBF welterweight world champion Brook stopped Khan with a sixth-round stoppage in Manchester back in February.

Another domestic dust-up with Chris Eubank Jr had been a possibility, while Conor Benn had also been suggested as an opponent.

But Brook will instead hang up his gloves with a professional record of 40-3.

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, he said: "I've had a long chat with my family and my parents, and it's over for me. I'll never box again.

"It's a little emotional to be actually saying this out loud. My mum is relieved. I think everyone around me is pleased.

"Truth is, boxing is a very, very tough, dangerous sport, one in which you can be legally killed in the ring, and I've finished now with all my faculties intact."

Brook's three career defeats came against notable names in the form of Gennady Golovkin, Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford.

He became a world champion in August 2014 by defeating Shawn Porter in California but, despite continued calls, did not face off against Khan until nearly eight years later.

It was getting the win on the record against Khan that convinced Brook now is the right to step away from the ring.

"I needed the Khan fight, I needed to settle the grudge, the feud," he said. "There is no dark feeling left in me now, I think when you have been in the ring with someone it passes, it leaves you. 

"Me and Amir said some words which were hateful in the build-up, but that's what happens in boxing. But I respect him after the fight. He showed real heart in there."

Amir Khan is contemplating retirement from boxing after admitting he is losing love for the sport in the wake of his loss to Kell Brook.

Brook defeated Khan in Manchester on Saturday, securing a sixth-round stoppage in a highly anticipated grudge match between the British rivals.

A sixth career loss – and third defeat in his last six fights - left 35-year-old Khan in a reflective mood.

He bravely battled on when under constant attack from a dominant Brook but was ultimately soundly beaten.

"I've had 40 fights, winning two world titles, fighting in America and around the world," Khan said to Sky Sports. 

"I need to sit down with my family. But it is more towards the end of my career.

"The love for the sport isn't there anymore and, in the ring, I didn't have excitement and that push. That's maybe a sign that I should call it a day. But let's see."

Khan added at the post-fight news conference: "The first time I felt like this was when I fought Bud [Terence] Crawford. I felt like I just can't get in the groove. I thought maybe it was just because he was that good. 

"But [against Brook] I tried and I just couldn't really get in the groove.

"It's something to think about it, definitely. I've always said I don't want boxing to retire me, I want to retire from boxing before it does that. 

"Punishment like that, sometimes in boxing - I know I showed a big heart and took some big shots - but sometimes too much of that can be harmful in the future.

"I've done more than I ever expected. Maybe I peaked too early in my career, I was at the Olympics at 17, I won the world title at 22. 

"I want to spend time with my kids and my family. I want to be there for my family, I want to take them to school and be that father.

"I'm 35 now, I've been in the game a very long time, I'm an old man now."

Brook, meanwhile, felt the Khan camp had embarked on mind games. After hitting a 49lbs catchweight imposed by Khan, he was forced to change his gloves in the ring just before the action got under way.

"I had to put different gloves on," said Brook. "He said he wasn't happy with my gloves.

"In the final moment in the ring, they said they wouldn't pay me unless I put new gloves on. We did all his demands and there were the weight issues.

"I dealt with everything. They did it all week. They tried to get in my head. To poke at me. I even had someone knock on my hotel room door at 3am this morning to disrupt my sleep!

"But I took care of business."

Ultimately, though, the rivals embraced in the ring after the fight.

"I've always had respect for him," explained Brook. "But when I didn't get it back? It's hard to like someone.

"But he took shots and tried to hold on. I respect him for that. He said we can get a coffee after!

"I've always wanted to have the fight with Amir - this grudge match is the icing on the cake for me. I can live at peace with myself, with my career now."

Kell Brook is open to another British blockbuster fight against Chris Eubank Jr. after seeing off long-time rival Amir Khan.

A bitter feud with Khan was settled in Manchester on Saturday as Brook secured a sixth-round stoppage with a powerful and dominant display.

It was the 40th win of Brook's impressive career, with his only three defeats having come against greats of the sport in the shape of Gennady Golovkin, Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.

Due to turn 36 in May, retirement is an option for Brook but so is a fight against Eubank (32-2), who saw off Liam Williams earlier this month and is prepared to come down to a 158lbs catchweight to secure the fight.

Asked about his future plans, Brook told Sky Sports: "I can walk away [but] Eubank, I don't like Eubank. 

"We could fight Eubank and there are some big fights out there for me.

"If the millions are right, I'll fight. I'm a prizefighter at the end of the day, I've got three beautiful daughters that want that money off me."

Brook had also stated he was open to a bout with Eubank before his tussle with Khan.

"Yeah, if I do continue with the game, why not?" he said prior to the win. "I don't like him and I would like to punch his face in as well."

Eubank Jr. was in attendance for the Brook-Khan battle and made his push for what could be a lucrative fight.

"Me and Kell have beef, we have history," he said. 

"He's said a lot of things about me, he says he wants to kick my head in after this fight, so I want to fight Kell Brook after this."

He added in tweet directed at Brook: "Nice win but let's see if you can fight like that against me."