KELL Brook has dismissed the prospect of facing Amir Khan after impressing on his return to the ring on Saturday night.

The Sheffield favourite stopped American Mark DeLuca in the seventh round in his first fight in 14 months.

But talk post-fight was of a different battle of Britain, Liverpool's Liam Smith watching on ringside and seemingly being lined up to face Brook with the winner then in pole position for a WBO World title shot at super-welterweight.

'The Special One' was blunt in his assessment of Khan when asked about the possibility of the long-awaited meeting finally coming to fruition in 2020, the Bolton star's last fight being his win over Billy Dib in Saudi Arabia in July.

“I've nothing really to say about him,” Brook told Sky Sports.

“Nothing to say. I’m active, I’m ready. I’ve seen him.

"He’s out of shape, he’s doing his thing.

“I’m after people that want to fight, who are real people. The real fighting men, that’s what I want to deal with.”

Smith seemingly fits that bill for Brook and with both men promoted by Matchroom's Eddie Hearn it looks like a relatively straightforward match-up to make.

Trained by Joe Gallagher at Khan's Gloves ABC gym in Bolton, Smith has lost just two of 32 professional fights and is a former WBO World champion at 154lb.

Brook wants his next date to be sorted sooner rather than later and is keen to get back to work in the gym with trainer Dominic Ingle with the former IBF World welterweight champion's aims this year crystal clear. 

"2020 is the year that I become World Champion again," Brook said.

"I don't shy away from any fighter, I have a lot of respect for Liam Smith, he boxed a stablemate of mine in Liam Williams.

"I've sparred him and if those spars are anything to go by, the fight would be amazing.

"I know he wants the fight.

"We'll sit down with Eddie [Hearn] this week. I love the Smith family but once we get in there, it's business.

"I want to get straight back in the gym, I want to be fighting again in 10 or 12 weeks."

Khan has returned to training at his Bolton gym but currently has no fight date set.