Now that former IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook has missed out on a big domestic grudge-match with Amir Khan (again, Khan next facing Terence Crawford in what will almost certainly be Khan’s last shot at regaining a world championship), he needs to find himself another big fight that will suitably motivate him. He may have found one in a fight against former WBO welterweight champ Jeff Horn. Dean Lonergan, Horn’s promoter, tells Sky Sports his fighter is willing to travel to the UK to get it on with Brook.
“I’ve got a text into Eddie (Hearn) at the moment, my matchmaker has an e-mail and a phone call into Eddie, we love this fight, to have Jeff Horn fight Kell Brook,” Lonergan said. “If you were going to do it, you would definitely go to England, because the boxing market up there is on fire, and Kell Brook in Sheffield, you’re definitely going to be filling a stadium wherever you go.”
This one really would make for an interesting match-up. How much has Brook, 38-2(26) got left? Has Horn, 19-1-1(13) fully recovered from the stoppage loss he suffered at the hands of Crawford, this being the Australian’s sole loss? 30 year old Horn has fought just once since losing his title and unbeaten record to Crawford, when he hammered countryman Anthony Mundine to quick defeat back in November. Brook two years the older man, has won two in a row since being stopped by Errol Spence; Brook beating Siarhei Rabchanka in quick time but then struggling, in December, to beat Michael Zerafa via dull decision.
Lonergan says Horn would have certainly stopped fellow Australian Zerafa, and that Brook’s performance was lacking. But was Brook sufficiently motivated for that fight? Would he get “up” for a fight with Horn? It’s a solid fight, one that could certainly be looked at as a 50/50 affair, and with both men now fighting at 154 pounds it could even be an elimination bout of sorts.
Who wins? It’s tough to say, but a distance fight would be a good bet. Let’s hope Brook takes the offer that Lonergan has sent across.
