Hearn: Kell Brook will move to 154 in 2017

06/08/2016 by Boxing News

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By Scott Gilfoid: IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) has very little time left at 147 to make things happen for him. Brook, 30, says he wants to unify all the titles at welterweight, but his unification attempts in that direction will likely begin and stop after his next fight against WBO 147lb champion Jessie Vargas in August or September.

Brook isn’t going to stick around long enough to try and unify all the belts. His promoter Eddie Hearn says Brook will definitely be moving up to junior middleweight to campaign as the 154lb fighter in 2017. Just why Brook will move up in weight in 2017 is the big question. I mean, if Brook is so worked up about unifying all the straps at 147, then why set a timeline on that goal of just one year and then move on when/if that goal isn’t accomplished?

Liam Smith vs. Canelo Alvarez possible

06/05/2016 by Boxing News

By Eric Baldwin: WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith’s promoter Frank Warren says he’s going to try and get him a big name for his next fight this year. Warren would like to match the 27-year-old Smith against either Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or Kell Brook. Warren also would like to put together a fight between Smith and Miguel Cotto if possible.

Warren says he should know within the next week where he stands with Smith in getting him a big name.

Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) defeated #11 WBO contender Predrag Radosevic (30-2, 11 KOs) by a 2nd round knockout last Saturday night in their fight at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.

Kell Brook – The Special one?

06/02/2016 by Boxing News

By Daniel Arissol: There is a man, a fighting man. He hails from Sheffield, England. He is undefeated in 36 professional fights. 25 of those fights have ended in knockouts. His speed and accuracy have led to many pugilists either avoiding the welterweight supremo or have simply woken up in the middle of the square ring with 20,000 fans screaming and chanting the name of the IBF champion of the world, Kell “The special one” Brook.

Brook won the title fighting against Shawn Porter in the stubhub centre in Carson, California back in August 2014.

Van Heerden picks Errol Spence over Kell Brook

06/01/2016 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: Former WBO 147lb champion Chris Van Heerden is picking undefeated #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (20-0, 17 KOs) to hand IBF welterweight champion Kell “Special K” Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) his first loss of his career when/if that fight takes place in the near future. Spence is one fight away from becoming Brook’s #1 IBF mandatory challenger, and once that happens, the fight will occur no later than 2017.

The only way it doesn’t take place is if Brook vacates his IBF welterweight title or gets beaten before then by someone like WBO champion Jessie Vargas. If that happens, then the burden of having to fight Spence will be shifted to Vargas and he’ll need to make the decision whether to face the young talent or vacate the IBF strap to escape the fight.

Jessie Vargas signs contract for Kell Brook fight

06/01/2016 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) has signed his contract for a unification match against IBF 147lb belt holder Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) for a contest that will be taking place in September in the UK. There’s a possibility the fight could take place on August 27, according to Dan Rafael.

If not, then September 3. The fight will be in Brook’s home city of Sheffield at Bramall Lane. The fight is going to be at a large football stadium. Brook and his promoter Eddie Hearn have spoken about wanting to fight in a large football stadium in the summer, but I never thought this would be the fight.

I mean, I don’t see Vargas as being a stadium worthy opponent. I’m just saying. I know Brook wants a big name, but Vargas is not a big name. I don’t be the bearer of bad news for Brook and Hearn, but Vargas is not a big name in the U.S at least.

Spence: Kell Brook has to fight me or vacate

05/26/2016 by Boxing News

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By Dan Ambrose: #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (20-0, 17 KOs) has no doubts in his mind that he’ll soon be the IBF mandatory challenger to IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) after he takes care of #3 IBF Konstantin Ponomarev (30-0, 13 KOs) in their IBF eliminator.

The International Boxing Federation ordered the Spence vs. Ponomarev fight recently for the IBF eliminator, and Spence has no problems with taking that fight. What Spence does have a problem with is Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who recently said that Spence’s promoters weren’t ready to let Spence take the fight with Brook yet.

Spence says that’s not true. No one has spoken to him about taking the fight against Brook. Spence says that if Brook doesn’t face him after he becomes his mandatory, he’ll need to vacate the IBF title because he’s going to want the belt. Spence says he’ll say, “give me my belt.”

Hearn expects Kell Brook vs. Jessie Vargas deal to be done next week

05/26/2016 by Boxing News

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By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn is finishing up on the touches of a deal for a unification fight between his fighter IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) and the Top Rank promoted WBO 147lb champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) for a fight in either late August or early September, on August 20, August 27, and September 3rd.

The fight will take place in Sheffield, UK. Hearn has made the 27-year-old Vargas an offer he can’t refuse, and he’s now willing to come over to the UK and fight on Brook’s own turf. The money that Vargas is getting for the fight is rumored to be three times more than he’s received for his biggest payday of his career.

As such, you can argue that Hearn is buying Brook a world title by getting Vargas to come over to the UK and fight in an unfriendly environment where he may need a knockout to have a chance at winning the fight.

Khan says he’ll fight Brook if Eddie Hearn isn’t involved

05/23/2016 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: Amir Khan’s recent brutal knockout loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez seems to have knocked some sense into him briefly, as he’s now saying he’s willing to fight IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook. However, Khan says the fight cannot happen as long as he’s with Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn.

Why precisely Khan doesn’t want Hearn involved is anyone’s guess. Perhaps Khan isn’t pleased with some of the less than glowing things Hearn has said about him over the years or maybe it’s something Hearn said recently after Khan was knocked the spark out in the 6th round by Canelo on May 7 of this month on HBO PPV in Las Vegas, Nevada. Whatever the case, Khan doesn’t want Hearn involved in a fight between him and Brook.

Kell Brook and Jessie Vargas progressing to contract, says Hearn

05/22/2016 by Boxing News

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By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn says his fighter IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook and WBO belt holder Jessie Vargas have agreed to terms to a fight for August and are ready to go to contract to get the fight done. Brook and Vargas will be fighting in Brook’s hometown of Sheffield, UK. This is a fight that Brook and Hearn wanted because he’s looking to capture more world titles in the 147lb division.

The idea is likely that by beating Vargas, who is highly vulnerable, it will help make it easier for Brook to get fights against other welterweight champions Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. Personally, I think Brook will take the Danny Garcia fight if he can get it, but he’ll drag his feet when it comes to fighting Thurman. That’s a fight I don’t see Brook or Hearn going for. The same with a fight against Errol Spence. I don’t see Hearn and Brook ever agreeing to that fight either.

Liam Smith still wants Kell Brook fight

05/20/2016 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten WBO light middleweight champion Liam Smith (30-0-1, 12 KOs) can’t seem to let go of the idea that he has to fight welterweight Kell Brook for some reason. I’m not sure why, but Smith can’t seem to focus on fighting the guys in his own division to try and make a name for himself in that eight class.

I guess it might be because Smith is seen as a paper champion in the eyes of a lot of boxing fans, and will likely lose his WBO title as soon as he faces his first quality contender. I don’t know but I think it would be better for the 27-year-old Smith to concentrate on defending his WBO 154lb strap as long as he can rather than pining away for a fight against Brook.

If Smith really wants the Brook fight, then he should vacate his WBO title and melt down to 147 and get in line behind welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr., because he’ll soon be facing Brook for his IBF title once he’s beaten the brakes off Konstantin Ponomarev in an IBF welterweight title eliminator bout.