Kell Brook: 5 possible opponents
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Who could fight Kell Brook next?
Kell Brook got the better of his bitter rival Amir Khan in their all-British catchweight contest at the Manchester Arena.
Brook delivered a sustained beatdown on the Bolton fighter, which was mercifully stopped by the referee in the sixth round.
Attention now turns to what the Sheffield fighter does next, with ‘The Special One’ saying he has the hunger back for the sport following a display which justified years of chasing a fight with his decorated rival from across the Pennines.
Brook was not short of challengers in the aftermath and here we look at five possible opponents for the former 147lb world champion.
Chris Eubank Jr
‘Next Gen’ was ringside for Brook’s victory over Khan working as a pundit for Sky Sports and clearly fancies his chances of taking on the Sheffield warrior, actively calling for the fight both on TV and social media in the aftermath.
– @ChrisEubankJr is 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 to face @SpecialKBrook next.. 🍿
🗣️ "We've had our back and forths over the years!"
🗣️ 'Now I want the challenge of fighting him!' pic.twitter.com/cgbJv8iXcA
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) February 20, 2022
Although chasing a world title opportunity at middleweight following his victory over Liam Williams, Eubank is also in need of a legacy-defining fight which will take him out of the shadows of his father.
Having traded barbs with Brook in the past, this feels like one that could catch the public’s imagination to create another huge all-British grudge match.
One big sticking point will be the weight as although Brook moved up to 160lb for the opportunity to fight Gennady Golovkin, that ended in disaster for the man from the Steel City and Eubank may need to boil down to a catchweight of around 156lb for this one to get over the line.
Conor Benn
The name Eubank is always closely followed by Benn and it is no surprise to see the son of the ‘Dark Destroyer’ in the mix for the chance to add the scalp of Brook to his CV.
Adding to Benn’s desire for this fight is the chance to enact revenge for his pal Khan and it is hard to argue the 25-year-old is on his way to becoming one of the sport’s most recognised fighters.
He is currently being guided to a shot at a version of the welterweight world title by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom but they will be mindful of what is best for business and if facing off against Brook in what could be another all-British classic makes financial sense, then it has potential to be the fight that makes Benn a household name.
Terence Crawford
Brook was stopped by Crawford in four when they fought for his WBO title in 2020 but Brook took that fight with minimal preparation time and without his long-time trainer Dominic Ingle by his side.
The battle with the scales has been a long-documented issue for Brook throughout his career and the pressure to get down to the 147lb welterweight limit took its toll during the MGM Grand bout as one of the pound-for-pound best made light work of the Brit.
There is unfinished business for Brook in America and he would surely relish one more opportunity to test himself against an opponent who, let’s not forget, was in Khan’s corner cheering on the Bolton brawler in Manchester.
Errol Spence Jr
Other than Crawford, Brook’s only other loss at 147lb came when defending his IBF welterweight belt against Spence at Bramall Lane in 2017.
Two of the best in the world in their division at the time, the duo were putting on an exhibition of the sweet science in the first half of the fight but the balance changed in the seventh round when Spence broke Brook’s eye socket and the American was ahead on the cards when the fight was stopped in the 11th round.
Spence remains unbeaten and having survived a potentially career-ending car accident, will be back in action against Yordenis Ugas in April, where he attempts to unify the WBC, IBF and WBA belts.
If coming through that one unscathed then Spence v Brook II could make good business all round and with both sides on good terms, may be one that is easy to make.
Liam Smith
Following the loss to Spence, Brook momentarily moved up to the light-middleweight division and it is perhaps at 154lb that he should spend the rest of his career.
If the lure of cash doesn’t tempt Brook into pushing his body to the limits to make 147lb, then a shootout with Liverpool’s Smith would surely be a fan-friendly contest.
Officially the best light-middle in the country, Smith has been at world level for some time despite not being handed the opportunities to showcase his talents to a wider audience.
At 33, he is still seeking a career-defining night and if winning his scheduled bout with Jesse Vargas in April, could come into the reckoning to be Brook’s next opponent.
