Home
Boxing

Boxing Preview: Kell Brook welcomes Errol Spence to Bramall Lane

Britwatch Team
Boxing

 

Embed from Getty Images

By Jordan Trott

  • Saturday marks Brook’s first fight since loss to Gennady Golovkin
  • Over 24,000 tickets have been sold for the IBF welterweight bout
  • George Groves, David Allen and Anthony Fowler fight on the undercard
Sheffield, UK – Kell Brook puts his IBF belt on the line against mandatory challenger Errol Spence, on Saturday night.

 

CLICK TO BUY SPORTS TICKETS


Kell Brook defends his IBF welterweight title against Errol Spence Jr. at Bramall Lane on Saturday. The Sheffield-born boxer is returning to welterweight for the first time since stopping Kevin Bizier in March of last year.

Brook has held the IBF title since 2014 and the 31 year-old hopes a victory over Spence will catapult him into the prime time. A victory over the New Yorker could set up potential clashes against Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman or Manny Pacquiao. It could also set-up a British super-fight against Amir Khan in early 2018.

 

The Tribulations

Saturday’s clash also marks the first fights since Brook was stopped against Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin last year. Brook suffered a broken eye socket in September’s defeat, as he was stopped in the fifth round.

Despite his pedigree, and the fact he is fighting on home turf, Brook is considered the outsider for the bout. The 31 year-old had an arduous task cutting the weight for the matchup. Brook has had to drop 13lbs from the 160lbs he weighed at middleweight to the 147lbs welterweight limit.

 

The Challenger

Spence has built up a stellar reputation over in the U.S. The 27 year-old has amassed a record of 21-0 with 18 victories coming by knockout. This is Spence’s first fight outside of North America and it’s also his first time fighting for a world title.

Spence, who is nicknamed ‘The Truth’, disappointed the last time he entered the big stage. The American was a gold medal favourite in the 69kg category entering the 2012 London Olympics. Despite the hype, the southpaw was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

 

The Undercard

George Groves competes for the vacant WBA ‘super’ super-middleweight belt on the undercard. Groves once drew 80,000 in a WBA super-middleweight bout with Carl Froch in 2014. Groves takes on Russian boxer Fedor Chudinov.

Anthony Fowler, cousin of footballer Robbie Fowler, also appears on the undercard. Whilst rising heavyweight David Allen will also compete on Saturday.

The programing starts at 6pm on Saturday 27th May and can be ordered on Sky Box Office