So the big news that landed in Britain today, to a decidedly mixed reception its worth noting, is the announcement of Kell Brook fighting Frankie Gavin on May 30th at London’s O2 on a card that is to be PPV in the UK on Sky Box Office.
Rumours have abounded for the last couple of days that Birmingham’s Gavin would be the man to face Kell Brook, after he was first linked to an eliminator fight with Timothy Bradley, and that speculation became a reality earlier today.
After impressively defeating Jo Jo Dan in Sheffield in March Kell Brook makes a quick return to the ring on Saturday 30 May to defend his IBF Welterweight title against Frankie Gavin at The O2 in London, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Brook v Gavin headlines a huge night of boxing that includes three world title fights – WBC Lightweight Champion Jorge Linares defends his title against popular Londoner Kevin Mitchell and Welsh stylist Lee Selby challenges Evgeny Gradovich for his IBF Featherweight title. Rising Heavyweight star Anthony Joshua MBE has his toughest encounter yet facing former World Heavyweight title challenger Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson.
Following a week of great significance in the UK welterweight ranks, there appears, as ever, more questions than answers . After a tumultuous period since his high profile win over ‘future superstar’ Shawn Porter last August, Kell Brook returned from his career threatening leg stabbing injury against IBF mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan. Whilst the Canadian based Romanian brought heart and desire to the ring, it was evident early on there was an ocean of class between the pair. Eventually seeing off his challenger in the fourth round following an equal number of knockdowns, Brook didn’t even need to be at his best on this occasion, and seemed to show no signs of any lingering problems with the leg. The post-fight interviews included the inevitable calling out of Amir Khan, a natural fight in everybody’s eyes, unless your named Amir Khan or Al Haymon!
Brook sent out a chilling message to the rest of the welterweight division by flooring Dan four times in front of a rapturous home support to finally consummate the championship he won superbly 7 months ago.
From the moment ‘All of the Lights’ erupted throughout the arena and the beloved champion rose from the bowels of his fortress, he looked up to the sky and you felt the weight of a tumultuous 6 months lift from his shoulders.
This was the Kell Brook from Carson City in August and Jo Jo Dan had absolutely no answer to him.
Brook came to the ring to a rapturous reception and rose to the occasion like an elite World ruler. The Sheffield star eased into the opening round and Dan felt the first of many right hands in the second half of the first stanza.
A sign of things to follow came in the second round as Dan hit the canvas early and then again after making the count, both from right uppercuts. The Romanian-Canadian was wobbled once more with a minute to go but gritted his teeth to hear the bell.
It will be Brook’s first defence of his crown, won in hostile territory when outpointing the feared American Shawn Porter in August of 2014.
Yorkshire above most, if not all, UK regions embodies the Ricky Hatton-esque spirit of the British boxing fan. You know what I’m talking about, that intangible connection between fan and fighter, which remains the envy of world boxing.
Kell Brook says he’s ready to prove he’s an elite level fighter when he defends his IBF World Welterweight title against number one mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan tomorrow night at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, live on Sky Sports.
Brook is back in action following a rollercoaster ride in the last eight months, ripping the title from Shawn Porter in Los Angeles in August before a life-threatening attack on holiday in Spain just weeks later.
‘The Special One’ recovered from the attack and was told he would not only walk again but would be able to resume his career, and the Sheffield star has been on fire in the gym knowing that he’s back in the groove and at the top table of the lucrative Welterweight division.
Kell Brook steps between the ropes for the first time as a World champion on Saturday night as he defends his IBF Welterweight title at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield against Jo Jo Dan in ‘Unbreakable’ presented by FX World, live on Sky Sports – after fearing he may never walk again after the shocking attack he suffered on holiday in Spain in September.
Brook ripped the title from Shawn Porter in Los Angeles in August with a stunning performance in the American’s backyard, but just two weeks after that win, Brook was fighting for his life in hospital after a machete attack whilst on holiday in Spain.
For a while it seemed as though Amir Khan would get his dream of a super fight against either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. It was certainly unlikely that they were going to fight each other, and they would both need opponents and Khan was coming off a supremely dominant performance over former world champion Devon Alexander.
Amir Khan has had a lot of ups and downs in his career, but it seemed as though all the chasing had been doing was going to pay off one way in another. Unfortunately for him they ended up making the fight and he was left out in the cold without an opponent or a world title. His last fight was in 2014, and so surely will now be searching for a good named opponent to try and nab a match with one of these guys at a later date, or another big fight at the very least.
Bob Arum, in an interview with FightHype, has said that pound for pound figher and four weight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez is in the process of testing out his knee and checking to see how the rehabilitation is going. Arum said that it would be in the next few months that an announcement would be made as to whether Marquez would be able to continue his boxing career, despite wanting to fight on and win that fifth world title and break the record for mexican boxers.