Brook tells Khan to “get in the queue” as he eyes major fights in the future…
Despite all the doubts ahead of his world title fight with Shawn Porter in California on Saturday, Kell Brook has proven that he deserves to be at this level.
The 28-year-old faced questions even when the fight was merely announced, with many doubting his ability at world title level and if he could handle the occasion of fighting abroad against a powerful and rugged opponent.
In addition, the pressure was undoubtedly on for him to produce after 18 months of heartbreak following the collapse of his previous title shot against Devon Alexander, but Brook made no mistake at the StubHub Center on Saturday night.
Despite the incessant pressing and bullying tactics from Porter who looked to use his strength and power to grind Brook down, the man from Sheffield refused to buckle and stuck to his gameplan of moving around the ring and keeping out of his opponent’s range whilst holding when required.
Although a cut in the second round only added to the early pressure, Brook came to the fore in the latter rounds as Porter appeared to run out of both ideas and steam, and the challenger continued to land the cleaner shots even though Porter remained busy.
Nevertheless, the fear of fighting abroad would have undoubtedly left the Brook camp anxious as they awaited the judges scorecards, but ultimately a new king was crowned and the IBF title is heading to Sheffield.
Having improved to a perfect 33-0 record, Brook is now going to be talked amongst the top names in the welterweight division, and although fights with the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao might be a way off for now, he has numerous intriguing options available.
A domestic grudge match with Amir Khan unsurprisingly appeals to all, but as Brook noted in his post-fight interview, his rival can “get in the queue” as he is now the world champion and he will ultimately call the shots.
The most impressive aspects of Brook’s performance on Saturday night were his ability to deal with both the occasion and his opponent. In truth, it was a step up in quality from his previous fights despite Porter being somewhat overrated, but Brook looked like he belonged there after shaking off any initial nerves.
Praise must also be given to the Ingle Gym for producing another world champion, and promoter Eddie Hearn, who was excited about the future for the Matchroom fighter and he will be itching to secure a date and venue back in the UK for Brook’s first title defence later this year.
In the meantime, Brook will revel in fulfilling a dream he has had since he was nine years old, and he has now proven to his critics that he can find a way and he is capable of delivering when it matters most.
COMMENTS