Hearn lists Brook’s 3 options for next fight: Smith, Rosario & Teixeira

By Boxing News - 02/09/2020 - Comments

By Matt Lieberman:  Eddie Hearn already has three fighters in mind as options for Kell Brook’s next fight following his successful comeback win last Saturday against Mark DeLuca. Hearn says he’s got these three junior middleweights that he’s looking at for Brook to fight potentially in June: Liam Smith, Patrick Teixeira or Jeison Rosario.

Former WBO 154-lb champion Smith (29-2-1, 16 KOs) appears to be the frontrunner for Brook’s next fight, but that will depend on him. Hearn isn’t going to force Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) to fight Liam. Also, he doesn’t want to make the Brook-Smith fight unless it’s a title eliminator, because it’s too important of a contest for it to just be a 12 round bout with nothing at stake.

Brook looked great last Saturday in stopping ex-Marine DeLuca (24-2, 13 KOs) in the 7th round at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England.

Brook’s options: Liam Smith, Jeison Rosario & Teixeira

“He probably put on six or seven pounds, and for him, that’s unheard of,” said Hearn to iFL TV on Brook only rehydrating six lbs after making weight for DeLuca fight. “Normally he’d be a stone plus in the ring. After five rounds, he wasn’t even breathing coming back to his corner. I’m thinking, ‘This weight cut may catch up to him now.’ His timing was a little bit off. He’s been out of the ring for 14 months.

“DeLuca was as tough as they come. He busted his nose in the second round, and just kept going. I thought he was the right opponent for the comeback, and Kell showed he’s still a world class fighter and he’s still got big fights left in the tank.

“Liam Smith, Teixeira, once he fights Castano, Rosario,” said Hearn when asked who Brook could face next. “He’s [Jeison Rosario] got a mandatory, and a few bits and pieces. “I just got a text about Lara.”

Of the names that Hearn mentioned, Liam and Erislandy Lara are likely the only fighters that he has a chance of facing in the summer. It’s improbable that Hearn will agree to let Brook face former WBA junior middleweight champion Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs).

Even though Lara isn’t the same fighter he once was, he would be too risky for Brook to fight, To be sure, Brook would receive more credit from U.S boxing fans if he agreed to fight Lara over a fight with Liam Smith, but he’s too big of a step up from DeLuca. Liam is a good fighter, but not in the same league as Lara.

Hearn: Brook likely to fight in June

“I think the biggest problem with Kell right now is when he goes back into the ring,” said Hearn.  “Any fighter that performs well and is coming out of the ring after a long time says to me, ‘Get me back in there. 10 weeks, 12 weeks,’ but realistically if you look at the dates, it’s probably going to be like June,” said Hearn about when Brook will fight again.

“It’s fine, but we’ve got to map it out now and  see if he’s interested in coming back against an opponent that is better than Deluca or just jump in crunch fight,” said Hearn. “I just think we have to dismiss the [Amir] Khan fight.

There’s only one fight I want Khan to take, and that’s Kell. Great fight, a 50-50 fight. Liam Smith is a world class fighter and a former world champion. Kell Brook is a former world champion. Both are in the final stages of their careers. They’re like old school guys,” said Hearn.

Amir Khan isn’t an option for Brook’s next fight. Let’s just get that out there. Khan will NOT fight Brook in June or likely ever. Really, the only option that Brook has of the fighters that Hearn mentioned is Smith, but there’s a chance that it won’t be a title eliminator. So it would be just a fight between two guys trying to get ranked.