By Ben James: This article is a formal response to an article published by another writer on this site. In his article he criticized hot prospect Kell Brook for planning to fight Lovemore N’dou instead of a “top ranked contender”.

You really need to get one thing clear. Ninety five percent of boxers do not get to hand pick their opponents. Brook might have a solid record and be a hot prospect in the welterweight division but he is not famous / popular in the UK. Nobody knows who he is because the media have spent the last 5 years hyping up Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton, totally ignoring other talents like Carl Froch, Brook and until recently David Haye.

To boost a fighters career you have to spend time and invest hundreds of thousands of pounds promoting them before the public and mainstream media catch onto your bandwagon. Frank Warren (the former promoter of both Amir Khan and Brook) focused all his attention and money on Khan, keeping Kell Brook fighting on small shows, earning his status the hard way instead of having it handed to him on a plate.

Brook has just switched to a new promotional company who are just starting to invest their money in promoting this young mans career. They do not have the money or media resources that Frank Warren has, they do not have hundreds of thousands of pounds to pay a top welterweight or top contender to take a huge gamble and fight the dangerous Brook.

They will offer people fights, but for the money they offer they wont get a top guy. They will get somebody in the latter stages of their career looking for a pay day, just like Lovemore N’dou.

Do not blame Brook for this, he does not get to hand pick his opponents. I am sure he would love the opportunity to get out their, take on the champion and get the respect and fame he desires, but this will not happen until the money is right for his opponents, or the sanctioning bodies force the fight to happen by making Kell or another hot prospect the number one contender.

Its just how the business of boxing works. If you don’t understand it then please don’t comment.