By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten #4 IBF Kell Brook (28-0, 18 KO’s) will be facing #5 Argentinian Hector Saldivia (41-2, 32 KO’s) in an IBF 147 pound eliminator bout on October 20th after the International Boxing Federation ordered the fight to determine a mandatory challenger for the winner of the September 22nd fight between IBF champion Randall Bailey and challenger Devon Alexander.

Brook and Salidvia will be fighting in Brook’s neck of the woods at the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, UK, which is pretty much where the 26-year-old Brook always fights.

Brook told Sky Sports News “I proved I have a massive heart against Carson [Jones]. I said after the fight that there needs to be an improvement.”

Ah, you can say that again. Brook needs to REALLY improve if he wants to be anything more than just a gatekeeper, which is what I see him as. Brook won a very questionable 12 round majority decision over Carson Jones last month in front of his British fans at the Motorpoint Arena. I had the fight scored as a draw, as Brook gassed out completely in the second half of the fight and was battling on fumes. It was an awful performance from Brook, who was badly staggered in the 12th and may have been knocked out had the referee not stopped the action to give Jones a lengthy warning at the time that Brook was badly hurt. Brook’s team blamed his poor performance on his stamina issues, but I saw that as a flimsy excuse made to cover up Brook’s weak chin.

Hearn said to Sky “We have a new team in place that is going to ensure Kell will hit new heights in this fight.”

I wonder who’s going to get their head chopped off if Brook gases out again? They to look at Brook himself for him gassing out. Some fighters simply don’t have the conditioning even when they’re in the best of shape. However, I see it a chin issue and that’s not going to get any better no matter how much exercises Brook does.

I don’t know or why Saldivia is ranked #5 by the IBF, because he looks very average, and more like a bottom tier fighter. That’s one of those weird rankings that makes you shake your head in disgust. If Brook can’t beat this guy that he needs to retire because Saldivia is made to order for Brook and for even the bottom 15 contenders. He’s just beatable as heck. I feel sorry for Brook, though. He’ll beat this obscure fighter and probably get a big head from doing it. He’ll then face the winner of the Alexander-Bailey fight and get totally schooled and brought down to earth.