By Scott Gilfoid: Kell Brook (27-0, 18 KO’s) is hoping he can fight the winner of the June 9th clash between Mike Jones and Randall Bailey for the vacant IBF welterweight title. For Brook to get that fight he’ll have to beat #3 IBF contender Carson Jones (34-8-2, 24 KO’s) on July 7th at the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Although Jones is probably better suited for the bottom 15 in the welterweight division and not the number 3 spot, but it’s still a huge step up for the 26-year-old Brook from the mediocre opposition he’s been facing his entire eight-year pro career. Actually I see this as a toss up fight because Jones and Brook appear to be evenly matched. Brook also has an inflated in my eyes, as I see him bottom 15 as well in terms of the entire division, and not the watered down four different sanctioning bodies.

Jones has been beaten a ton of times already, and I imagine the say would hold true for Brook if he been facing quality opposition all these years instead of the fodder that’s been served up to him. The best win of Jones’ career was his recent victory over Ricard Williams Jr., and even that win wasn’t a big deal because Williams Jr. had already been beaten by two fighters named Manning Galloway and Juan Valenzuela in the past. I’ve never heard of either of them, and that kind of gives a good indication of where Williams Jr. was at.

Jones, 5’10”, will have a three inch reach advantage over Brook on July 7th, despite being little more one inch taller. I’m not surprised about that statistic because Brooks’ reach is limited. He has to get close to land his punches with his short reach, and that’s going to be a problem for him in the Jones’ fight and when he eventually steps it up some day against quality opposition.

I can only imagine what the 6-foot tall long-armed Mike Jones would do to Brook when and if they fight. It won’t be pretty believe me. It’ll be like a tall kid holding his hard out on the head of a shorter kid while the short kid flails away, hitting nothing.