By Craig Hilton: Journalists have been writing excitedly about Floyd Mayweather Junior’s (43-0) return to the ring for six bouts and the potential list of fighters that he will face. Judging from HBO’s lack of interest in televising his fights, the list won’t contain Manny Pacquiao (61-5-2) or Sergio Martinez (54-2-2).
He won’t be having too many fights at Junior Middleweight after the damage he sustained when fighting Miguel Cotto (41-4) last year. Therefore, I believe that Mayweather will have a close eye on the movements within the Welterweight Division and I believe that Kell Brook (29-0) poses a very real threat to him retiring as the undisputed welterweight champion.
Floyd Mayweather has not said very much about the potential opposition, leaving the waiting fans to build the interest and anticipation for his ring return. However, recently he posted a comment on Twitter saying that he would be fighting Devon Alexander (25-1) for the IBF Welterweight title rather than Kell Brook. This created a great deal of anguish in the Brook camp as they had an agreement in place to fight Alexander. Brook and Alexander have since rearranged their fight and I don’t think Mayweather will be pleased when Brook knocks him out!
Firstly, Kell Brook has a great jab; it is powerful and razor sharp. Many opponents have struggled with Brook’s power; a damaging jab is often his first punch of a hurtful combination. Matthew Hatton (51-6-2) paid testimony to Brook’s power after their fight last year; Hatton sustained a broken nose in the first round and was bleeding profusely for most of the bout. Secondly, Brook has a simple but effective style that prevents him from being hit too often; I’ve never seen him hit by a big shot – unlike fellow Brit Amir Khan (27-3). The style is very tight and compact, allowing him to attack powerfully with real venom. Recently we have seen Brook showcase his uppercut, another big shot from his packed armoury. With Brook’s relatively short arms and muscular physique, his uppercut appears to be a real hammer blow.
Many fans have been less than enamoured with Brook’s performance against welterweight contender, Carson Jones (48-9-3). Brook received a controversial home town decision in his victory over Jones last year. However, in my opinion, Brook showed again that he is by no means a slow starter and can dominate fights for long periods.
It was the perfect performance until round six when Brook was dealt a debilitating nose injury caused by an illegal shot from Jones. This nose injury hindered Brook’s breathing and he was unable to mount his attacks as readily in the second half of the fight. However, Brook did show real heart and toughness to emerge victorious in such a demanding fight, remaining calm under pressure whilst using some good defensive techniques.
Brook gained a lot of experience from the bout that will prove very useful in taking on the elite level fighters in the Welterweight Division. After all, Carson Jones has done a huge amount of sparring with various top fighters. Since the Jones fight, Brook has taken his training camps more seriously, training in Fuerteventura whilst using a more effective diet. It seems that Brook has put more money into his training camp as he bids to become a world champion. In my opinion, Brook was finding it hard to pack all his muscle into a welterweight frame. This meant that Brook was missing meals and drying out too much to make the weight. Perhaps this is the reason why Brook has run out of gas in the latter stages of fights against Matthew Hatton and Carson Jones. It has not been evidenced that Brook has got over problems with his stamina. However, I believe that if Brook sorts out his conditioning and maintains his strength and power for a full twelve rounds, I’m not sure many fighters could go the distance with him.
‘The Golden Boy’, Oscar De La Hoya, once said that to have a chance against Mayweather you have set up attacks with the jab. Mayweather’s opponents need to use the jab to create openings for combinations to the head and body. Fighters also need to keep Mayweather’s feet moving to create angles for their attacks; a fast pace denies Floyd the time to think and counter so effectively. I think this task would suit Brook; if he can set up his attacks using a few more feints mixed with effective head movement, he could be a huge threat to Mayweather and the rest of the welterweight division.
This is Kell Brook’s moment to shine and I believe that he has all the attributes to be the UK’s next boxing superstar. Would Mayweather consider coming to England for the IBF title? Wembley Arena May 2014? The World awaits . . ..
Comments are closed.