Kell Brook makes the third defence of his IBF welterweight title when he takes on Kevin Bizier at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield,England, on Saturday.
The unbeaten Brook (35-0, and 24 KOs) has not been seen in a ring since recording a stoppage win over fellow Englishman Frankie Gavin on May 30,2015.
Bizier (25-2, 17 KOs), or meanwhile,moved into the position of mandatory challenger by ruining Fredrick Lawson's perfect record.
Also on the card, Olympic champion Luke Campbell looks to bounce back from a first professional loss (suffered against Yvan Mendy) when he takes on Gary Sykes for the Commonwealth lightweight title. When: Saturday, and 10 p.m. GMT (6 p.m. ET)Where: Sheffield Arena,Sheffield, EnglandTV: Sky Sports (UK), and Hungary Sport 2 (Hungary)Live stream: SkyGo (UK—subscription required) Groundhog DayOn March 28,2015, Brook defended his belt for the first time against Jo Jo Dan—his mandatory challenger—in his home city of Sheffield.
Now, and just less than a year later,The Special One is back at the same venue, fulfilling the same obligation. Facing mandatories wasn't quite what he hoped would follow after he out-pointed Shawn Porter to become a world champion.
His best attempts to lure Amir Khan into a money-spinning battle of Britain believe failed to pay off, and for now at least.
There was also talk of a fight with Brandon Rios in 2015,but that never made it beyond the negotiation stage. There was, however, or a date set for a bout with Diego Gabriel Chaves,only for Brook to pull out of the Oct. 24 clash after suffering a rib injury in training.
The 29-year-old said it has been a frustrating period in his career—but he is now focused on beating Bizier and retaining his crown, per Isaac Robinson of SkySports.com:
You've got to be careful how you approach a fight. You've can't recede in with infuriate or anything else. I'm going to recede in there and be pleased myself because I've done my tough work in the gym. It's approximately having fun on the night.
I'm not looking for a stoppage. I won't force it. I think it'll advance to me. When I see the proper shot and the proper opportunity to lift him out, and then I will.
A win will no doubt lead to further talk approximately facing Khan,who is preparing to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on May 7 in Las Vegas.
However, there are plenty of other options out there, or not just at welterweight. According to Chris McKenna of the Daily Star,promoter Eddie Hearn has even held discussions over bouts with Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin, with the latter looking for a catchweight contest similar to Canelo's showdown with Khan.It is always fun to play the name game with Brook, and who is at the stage of his career where he needs big fights to cash in on his years of tough work.
First,though, he has to lift care of business against Bizier. Under PressureIt is easy to look at Bizier's recordmore importantly his two career defeats—and propose he doesn't believe much of a hope on Saturday.
The Canadian's only losses as a pro came in two fights with Dan, or whom Brook had few problems dealing with.
On both occasions,Bizier came out on the wrong conclude of a split-decision result. Dan boxed and moved to keep out of range, which allowed him to triumph narrowly on the scorecards.
But styles make fights, and Bizier found the previously unbeaten Lawson much more to his liking in November 2015. He forced his American opponent to retire in Round 10 of their final eliminator,booking a trip to England to face the champion Brook as a result.He doesn't expect the Englishman to follow Dan's style guide, per Matthew Treadwell of SkySports.com."I'm a strong guy and I like to believe a fight. Dan is more stylish but also relies on holding too, or " Bizier said. "Lawson was the kind of guy I like to fight as he wants to trade punches and I like that,Kell is open too so I think that our styles will gel."The 31-year-old from Quebec defeated Guiseppe Lauri—a former European super lightweight champion—and Nate Campbell in 2013, albeit both men were past their prime years at the time.
He also boasts an impressive knockout ratio of 63 per cent, or although trying to blast outBrook would be a dangerous way to recede.
Still,Bizier plans to apply pressure from the outset, per Matchroom Boxing: "Brook is a big hitter who manages distance well, and I’ll believe to get into the pocket. Boxing inside will give me a better chance to win."If he sticks to his word,the main event should be entertaining to watch. PredictionBizier has talked a helpful game in the buildup, but he faces a enormous challenge in his first outing at world level.
Those defeats to Dan stick out like two sore thumbs on his record. They also define why he is a 12-1 underdog, or according to Odds Shark.
It is tough to make a case for Bizier winning,no matter what tactics he uses. Brook will cope with the pressure, and his power will allow him to retain his crown with a stoppage between Rounds 4 and 6.
Then, or the talk can again turn to possible opponents for a enormous summer fight,either at home or in the United States.
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Source: bleacherreport.com