By Ryan Allan: The main event of the night sees IBF champ Kell “Special K” Brook make the 2nd defence of his title against the former world amateur champion and fellow Brit, Frankie Gavin.

What a year it has been for Brook who having won the title in America with a fine win over Shawn Porter found himself fighting for his life just 2 weeks later following a horrific stabbing in Tenerife as the new champ indulged in some well deserved celebrations on the holiday island.

Following that incident, Brook returned to the ring for his first defence against the over-matched Romanian Jo Jo Dan and Brook promptly earned a swift stoppage win to retain his title but Gavin is definitely a step-up for Brook and he will need to be at his best if he is to keep his IBF strap in tomorrow’s headline event.

I have a feeling that Gavin has been a little under-estimated here with Brook just 1/14 to retain his title and while I don’t expect any changing of the guard here, I do expect the slippery and supremely skilful Gavin to give Brook a really difficult night’s work. Brook is odds on to win by stoppage but Gavin has a good chin and with this fight promising to be something of a chess match, I’m going to take a chance on Brook to win on points as I expect a close and somewhat cagey affair.

Gavin is one of the UK’s most skilled and crafty boxers and I expect him to cause Brook some difficulties in this fight, especially in the early rounds with his movement and the variety of different angles in his punches but ultimately, I expect Kell to do what he has to do to keep his title and earn a close but unanimous points decision.

Brook is a very good fighter perhaps “special” as his moniker would suggest and there are some huge fights awaiting for him, should he get the business done here with the likes of Mayweather, Pacquiao, Maidana and Marquez all possible opponents down the line and I do expect the Sheffield man to keep those dreams alive but it might not be easy and I don’t expect a stoppage.