By Charles Brun: Kell Brook says he’ll retire if he loses his February fight against former U.S Marine Mark DeLuca at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England. Although Brook (38-2, 26 KOs) says he rates DeLuca, 31, and isn’t looking passed him, he still thinks he’s someone that he SHOULD beat.
DeLuca (24-1, 13 KOs) has very little experience going into his fight with Brook, and it’s going to be a big, big step up in class for the American.
Kell ready for DeLuca
“I don’t know too much about him. He’s an ex-Marine, and he only has one blemish [Walter Wright] on his record,” said Brook to IFL TV about DeLuca. “In the fight afterward, he avenged that and got the win. He’s basically unbeaten, and he’s coming to take the win from me. He knows if he beats me, he’s in for the big fights, but he’s in with me and I’m ready.
“I’m not happy about it, but the win is going to look better, because he beat Jeff Horn,” said Brook about his unimpressive win over Michael Zerafa. “I wasn’t happy with the performance. It had nothing to do with the training. I think it was more on me going out stupid, trying to take him out in a couple of rounds.
“The training camp was great. I just put it down to myself,” said Brook. “Everybody writing me off, thinking I’m passed it, but I know what went off. Here we are. We’re going to go in there, and we’ve worked hard in the gym before. Will be super fit, and super mentally ready, and then we’ll stick to a game plan. Instead of going out there and trying to take his head off in 3 rounds, and him tightening up.
With Brook coming off of a 14 month layoff since his fight against Michael Zerafa in December 2018, you have to question whether he’ll be ready. Brook looked like he wasn’t firing on all eight cylinders for the Zerafa fight, which was understandable.
Brook was coming off of a 9 month layoff after wiping out Sergey Rabchenko in two rounds in 2018. That wasn’t even a fight. It was more of a massacre against Rabchenko.
Kell will retire if he loses to DeLuca
“He got through the fight. I blew myself out,” said Brook in making excuses about his fight against Zerafa. “If I’d have boxed, and stayed to the game plan, I would have taken him out anyway. But that’s history now. We’re onto this fight on February 8th. I’m going to go in there, and not make the same mistake twice.
“And I’m going to go in there and I really believe I’m going to put in a massive effort. I want to be a two-time world champion this year. I’m not looking passed Deluca, because if he does beat me, I’m passed it. I’m not good. If he beats me, I’m done, retired, finished. But I know that I’ve got loads more to give, but talk is cheap.
“February 8th is going to be the time where a lot of people are going to say, ‘He’s finished.’ But a lot of people close to me and know me, know that I’m not. They’re going to see me display like they’ve never seen,” said Brook.
Michael Zerafa gave Brook problems due to his age, size and activity advantage. Brook isn’t young at 33.
In a way, it makes sense for Brook to consider retirement if he loses to DeLuca, but he’s kidding himself if he thinks he’s got enough left to win a world title against the talented 147 and 154-lb fighters. Brook could get a big payday against WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, but his chances of winning would be slim.
At 154, Brook would have a good chance of beating WBO champion Patrick Teixeira, as he’s considered the weakest link among the belt holders in that weight class. But if Brook takes on the talented champions at 154, he loses. We’re talking Julian Williams and Jermell Charlo.
Brook wants to challenge for world title in 2020
“I don’t know,” said Brook when asked who he’ll challenge for a world title at 154 after the DeLuca fight. “If they’ve got a world title. we’re coming for them. Whichever one it is, and whichever one that is best to do a deal with. The political side is not me. I’m just a fighter. I’ll just get in there, and fight.
“Whoever we need to make the fight with, that’s the one that we’re going to fight. I believe the Khan fight, the way it unfolded, and I didn’t like it. The numbers weren’t great, and I’m a Brit as well. We were having talks before Khan even fought him. I went over there, and I wanted the fight, and I thought the fight would happen, but nothing came of it, said Brook.
The only fights that make sense for Brook in 2020 are Manny Pacquiao at 147 or Patrick Teixeira at 154. Brook would have a good chance of beating WBO junior middleweight champion Teixeira, but he wouldn’t get a lot of credit or beating him.
Curtis Stevens stopped Teixeira in the 2nd round in 2016, and that contest wasn’t close. Stevens got the better of Teixeira in every second of the two rounds before knocking him out in round 2.
If Khan fight doesn’t happen in 2020, it never will
“Yeah, I think so,” said Brook when asked if the Khan fight won’t happen ever if it doesn’t take place in 2020. “I think he knows where I am. I’m not awkward. I think the world knows it’s not me. He knows where I am. Yeah, of course,” said Brook when asked if Eddie Hearn is pushing for the Khan fight. “I’m a Sky Sports fighter, but he’s a Skype Sports fighter. Listen, I’m here, and I’m ready to fight. He knows where I am, and that’s all I can do. What can I do?” said Brook on Khan.
It’s highly unlikely that Amir Khan will suddenly show a desire to fight Brook in 2020, because he has too many other options. Khan is likely saving the Brook fight until he’s exhausted all the fights out there. It wouldn’t be surprising if Khan chooses to never fight Brook, because he’s never been interested in facing him.
Brook picking Tyson Fury to beat Deontay Wilder
“I’ve got to stick with the Brit,” said Brook about him favoring Tyson Fury over Deontay Wilder. “After what I said about Wilder, with his power and everything, I just thought that Wilder with the time that he [Fury had off and everything, I just thought ht was going to get beat. But after he got back up off the floor, and he won that fight, what he’d been through, and what he did that night, I would never go against him again, ever,” Brook said about Fury.
“So I’m with Fury. It’s a weird one for me. I don’t know anything about the trainer,” said Brook about Fury’s new trainer Javan ‘SugarHill’ Steward. “And I know Emanuel Steward, but he’s not Emanuel Steward. I don’t know anything about him. He’s obviously seen something he likes in him. So we will see,” said Brook.
Kell is just the latest of many people who are assuming that Tyson Fury will beat Deontay Wilder in their rematch on February 22. But he didn’t do it last time they fought, and it doesn’t make sense to second guess the judges.
They scored it a draw, and Brook needs to accept that. When people like Brook resist reality by saying that Fury won, they take away from the sport. Brook may not like it, but part of the sport involves judges who pick and losers when fights go the distance.
Kell thinks Crawford beats Spence
“I saw something the other day with Spence’s first interview back, and he said he doesn’t want a warm-up fight. He just wants to jump straight back in,” said Brook. “I used to favor Spence over Crawford, but now with the car crash, and the time that he’s been off, I’m favoring Crawford now,” said Brook.
If and when the Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. fight takes place, it won’t be until Errol is 100 percent. He sure isn’t going to be taking on Crawford in 2020, especially with him coming off of a terrible car crash.
