Amir Khan v Kell Brook: Sheffield United boss sends pre-fight message to Blades fan Kell ahead of big bout

Brook has coveted a clash with Khan for several years and saw repeated attempts rebuffed, before a deal was struck for a 149lb catchweight contest at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday evening.

Brook is a big Blades fan and fulfilled a lifetime ambition to box at Bramall Lane back in 2017 when he faced Errol Spence Jr.

“You can’t get away from what a big fight and occasion it is,” Heckingbottom said on the Brook v Khan showdown.

“It’s been talked about for years and years so a lot of people will be glad it’s finally happening and everyone here sends their best wishes to Kell.

“It’ll be an intriguing fight and the fact it’s been a long-running saga with a bit of bad blood just brings that extra interest.

“It’s a fight that everyone here is talking about; and not just because he’s a Sheffield man, but because of the interest. It’ll be a big occasion and a big fight.”

Brook and Khan, both 35 years old, were pulled apart by security at the fight announcement in November last year but while a head-to-head at Thursday's final media conference passed off without major incident, Khan and Brook threw unseemly barbs at each other.

"He can say what he wants but he's definitely going to sleep on Saturday night when I smash him," said Brook, who has recovered from being stabbed twice and has had surgery on both eyes following broken orbital bones.

“He has said I'm half-broken, it seems to me he's only taken this fight because he thinks I'm half-broken but he's made a massive mistake.

"We've been doing absolutely everything possible to be in the best possible shape for Saturday night. The world's going to see me go in there and destroy him."