By Scott Gilfoid: #2 ranked WBO welterweight contender Kell Brook (26-0, 18 KO’s) is looking for a high profile opponent for his next fight on March 17th at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Thus far, there hasn’t been any one fighter that is being mentioned other than Matthew Hatton and that’s kind of hard to believe that he would be the high profile opponent that Brook is looking for.

Brook needs a big name, preferably someone that can actually fight and give Brook a test. That’s what Brook sourly needs right now because he’s had eight solid years of soft matchmaking that would do Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. proud. The last time that Brook fought someone that was any good was like never. We’re still waiting for Brook to fight someone other than a stiff. This is obviously on his different promoters, who for some reason haven’t shown an interest in matching Brook against anyone tough.

It could be that they lack confidence in him or maybe that’s just how they like to spoon feed their fighters. Whatever the case, Brook needs someone good in his next fight on March 17th, and if Hatton is the only one that can dragged into the ring on that date, I for one won’t be the least surprised. At this point I’d be surprised if someone as good as Hatton is brought in for Brook, not that I think Hatton is any good.

I see him as pure 2nd tier, but I don’t even think someone his quality will get the call based on Brook’s soft matchmaking past. He’s got to step it up sooner or later. Hopefully he faces a life body on March 17th so people can stop laughing at him and start taking him seriously as a contender.

I don’t like Brook’s chances of ever making it to a real champion level fighter. I see him as a fighter that’s been stunted by his too many years of soft fights. It’s like taking a fast athlete and only matching him against slow guys for seven years and then expecting him to compete with the very fastest athletes in the sport. It’s just not going to happen. I think he’s been stunted. I can see Brook being a gate keeper but not a real champion.

Here are the things I see as wrong with Brook:

Short alligator arms
Slow hand speed
Not tall enough
Poor defensive skills
No experience whatsoever against quality opposition