By Kenneth Friedman: Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) looked sensational tonight in making his successful comeback in stopping highly ranked #7 WBA contender Mark DeLuca (24-2, 13 KOs) in the 7th round in a fight at 154 on Saturday night at the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield, England.

Brook, 33, knocked the bruised and battered DeLuca down in the 7th round. Referee Phil Edwards called a halt to the fight at 1:15.

Although DeLuca got up right at the count of 10, Edwards halted it anyway. There was no point in him allowing the fght to continue, as DeLuca, 31, was taking a beating, and he had virtually no chance of winnng.

The American DeLuca showed a lot of courage in taking a lot of heavy shots from Brook tonight. In the earlier rounds, DeLuca was able to come forward and land an odd shot here and there before grabbing Brook in a clinch to keep him from throwing back.

Brook began to break DeLuca down by the third round, and he had him on the defensive.

DeLuca’s nose was bloodied, and both eyes were badly bruised by the 6th round frmo Brook’s heavy shots. By that point in the fight, DeLuca was rarely throwing anything back at Brook. For the most part, DeLuca covered up on the ropes, and was trying his best to pick off Brook’s hard shots.

The referee Phil Edwards took a close look at DeLuca during the sixth round while Brook was teeing off on him late. He could have stopped the fight in that round, and no one have said anything.

In the 7th, Brook hurt DeLuca with a shot to the back of his head. This got the crowd into the fight. In response, DeLuca hit Brook with a couple of rabbit shots to pay him back. However, while loading up with a big right hand, DeLuca was nailed by a left hook from that put him down on the canvas.

Brook vows to win world title in 2020

“I felt very fit, DeLuca is a very smart fighter and had never been beat. It was a clinical finish,” said Brook after the fight. “You always question yourself but I’m a new kid and on it, constantly in the gym. 2020 is the year that I become world champion again.

“I have a lot of respect for Liam Smith and I’ve sparred him, the fight would be amazing,” said Brook. “I felt very comfortable at the weight, eating as normal, I could’ve gone 15 rounds. I want to get straight back in the gym, I want to be fighting again in 10 or 12 weeks.”