Kell Brook knew just how big his comeback fight against Mark DeLuca was. He was under no illusions. Defeat would mean the end of his career. Simple - and as brutal - as that. A seventh round knockout of the much younger American means Brook can now look to the future with renewed confidence and desire.
So rather than talk of retirement and hanging up his gloves, Brook is now setting his sights higher, as he continues his dream of becoming a two-time world champion in 2020.
And he’s finally realised that Amir Khan no longer features in his plans. “I’ve got bigger fish to fry,” he told SiriusXM's The Ak And Barak Show when asked if he was still pursuing a fight with Bolton fighter Khan.
"I’m wanting to fight the guys that do want to fight, the best out there. He doesn’t seem to want to fight, you know me, it is so easy to be made as well. He is running out.”
Having successfully returned to the ring after a 14-month absence, the former IBF welterweight world champion is now targeting some of the big names in the division, including a rematch which would grab the attention of the boxing world.
“I would love to have the Errol Spence fight rematch because I know and the people around me know what happened. We know from the Golovkin fight and the training camp for the Spence fight. I think this version of Kell Brook would beat Errol Spence. I would love, love that rematch.”
Spence stopped Brook in the 11th round after a fractured eye socket that was caused by Genady Golvkin in his previous fight was damaged once more, leaving him unable to see. However, Spence has had trouble away from the sport since that meeting and we haven’t seen him in the ring since he beat Shawn Porter in Los Angeles last September.
One month after that success he was hospitalised and placed in intensive care after crashing his Ferrari 488 at 3am. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and released from hospital six days after the crash but he suffered facial lacerations which could be reopened if he were to box again.
With Spence still months away from a full return to boxing, Brook was quizzed about his next two potential opponents, “I think it would have to be someone like [Terrence] Crawford,” he said.
“He’s the man there in the division but we also can’t rule out super welterweight so [Jermell] Charlo or this other guy who won the world title - [Jeison] Rosario. We should put a poll together, who should I be fighting next?”
Full interview here and FREE via the @siriusxm app:
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The 33-year-old confirmed he’d be happy to face any fighter at welterweight or super welterweight and is keen to prove he is still the number one boxer in both divisions.
“I just want to be in those big fights and there is a lot of talk about politics in this game but welterweight or super welterweight I am here and I am not hiding away from any fighter and I can show you guys why I am the man.”
One potential opponent is Manny Pacquiao, who at 41-years-old is still beating fighters over a decade his junior. A true legend of the sport, Pacman beat Keith Thurman last time out to win the WBA (super) welterweight title and will be looking for a big fight to kick-off 2020.
Brook was full of praise for the man with 63 wins to his name, “He is the man to beat. People mention about age, it is just a number, if he is fit and relevant and he is boxing the way that he is then, of course, it is a massive win if you beat the guy.”
The Sheffield born fighter is certainly not shying away from any opponents and for that reason, it will intriguing to see who is his next dance partner. In a division packed full of quality, we could see Brook take on two of the big names in 2020.
