By Matt Plumridge: Hailing from the small island that is the UK we have some good things going for us. Everyone knows or has met the Beatles or the Queen; we like to drink our cups of tea; we stand in line, even when trying to escape from disaster; we all carry around giant red telephone boxes instead of smart phones and very, very occasionally we have a boxer that is ready to head over to the grand old US of A and show you people how to box.
In recent years the UK alumni has included such fistic exponents as Prince Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, Lennox Lewis and most recently, Amir Khan. When this article is reprinted in about 5 years’ time – due to huge public demand no doubt – it will also include the graduation of a Special K, Ezekiel “Kell” Brook.
For some years now, Brook has been the great world title hope of British boxing. With a smoothness in style that we upright Europeans are not used to, the archetypical ramrod jab and genuine power in both hands, Brook blasted through British and European class some years ago and has since been treading water effortlessly – against genuine world ranked opponents – while awaiting his destiny of a world title shot. That shot first materialized a few years back when Devon Alexander was ordered to face the Special one for the IBF title, only for it to fall through on three separate occasions due to injuries on both sides.
Incredibly, some felt the Brook injuries were made up to “avoid” Alexander. Can you really believe a man who has spent his entire adulthood pursuing boxing greatness and who has comprehensively beaten – and more than most by KO – all of those that have stood before him (his 32 victims having a combined record of 639 wins) be running away from a world title tilt? Anyone that heard his reactions to each cancelled world title fight, with the hollowness in his voice and the raw emotion in the words that he spoke, will know that if anything, he was ready to ignore his handlers and give it a go anyway. A one-armed bandit does occasionally pay out I guess.
Which is why – despite what appears a rugged, classy and determined guy in Shawn Porter – Brook will get his due. When you wait that long, train so hard, have within you so much goddam ability and still haven’t yet achieved the riches or respect you deserve, then you know that when your time comes, you have to make it count. Or in this case as Brook will, ensure that Porter is out for the count.
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