Kell Brook could fight Jan Zaveck if Devon Alexander vacates IBF title

By Boxing News - 10/24/2012 - Comments

Image: Kell Brook could fight Jan Zaveck if Devon Alexander vacates IBF titleBy Scott Gilfoid: If Kell Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn is able to win a purse bid with Golden Boy Promotions, we could see a possible scenario where IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander chooses to vacate his title rather than taking the chance of going over to the UK and winding up losing his strap by a controversial decision.

Although Alexander is saying that he has no intention of giving up his IBF title this could change if he’s forced to fight Brook in the UK in front of 12,000 screaming Brits. I think Alexander is the better fighter of the two, but I question whether he can win a decision over Brook in the UK.

I wouldn’t blame Alexander one bit if he chooses to vacate his strap rather than going over to the UK and possibly getting jobbed. In that case, the vacant IBF title would then be fought over by Brook and #5 IBF contender Jan Zaveck in the UK in an ugly fight. That would be kind of like Brook vs. Hector Saldivia II, except that the fight would probably get stopped on cuts in three or four rounds.

I don’t expect Golden Boy to lose a purse bid to Hearn’s promotional company at Matchroom Sport, but it’s possible that it could happen if Sky Sports is backing Brook to try and get this fight over to the UK. I don’t know if HBO or Showtime would be all that interested in putting on an Alexander vs. Brook fight in the U.S, and without one of the two cable giants televising the fight, Golden Boy might not be able to compete against Hearn with the money he’ll bring in with Sky.

If that happens then my recommendation is for Alexander to simply give up the IBF title and let it turn into a paper title for Brook and Zaveck to fight over. Like I said, it’s not that I don’t think that Alexander can whip Brook, it’s that I don’t think Alexander can win in the UK unless he knocks Brook out. After seeing Brook win a controversial 12 round decision over American Carson Jones in the UK last July, I don’t think it’s possible for Alexander to win over there unless he knocks Brook clean out.



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