Wednesday 25 June 2014 13:21, UK
Kell Brook is waiting to discover if a new date will be set for his world title shot against American Shawn Porter after seeing a bout scheduled for August 9 fall through.
The unbeaten Sheffield fighter has endured plenty of frustration over the last two years in his attempts to fight for the welterweight crown.
That seemed to have come to an end earlier this month when Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn appeared to have secured a shot at IBF champion Porter at the Brooklyn Barclay Center on August 9.
However, both Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson are now scheduled to fight on that bill.
Hearn insists Brook’s part of the contract has been signed, and the IBF, who have Brook as the mandatory challenger, has ordered the contest to take place before September 7.
Porter, who could be stripped of his title if he fails to comply with the deadline, has been mooted as a potential opponent for Floyd Mayweather Jr but Hearn does not believe that contest will materialise.
“I don't believe in a million years that Porter will get the Floyd Mayweather fight and there's no doubt that if he doesn't fight Brook, he'll be stripped of his title,” Hearn wrote in his column in the Daily Mail.
“Kell Brook would be devastated if he has to fight for a vacant title. He's had Porter in his head for three or four months and all he wants to do is get in the ring and fight him.
“I told him that if Porter is stripped he'll fight for the vacant title and he was disappointed with that, even though it would be an easier fight. He's in tremendous shape and frame of mind and I believe he will beat Porter. He wants to beat the best and he will beat Shawn Porter.”
Hearn added: “They (Porter’s camp) know what kind of fight this is, a real fight against a top welterweight and maybe the risk-reward doesn't work out.
“But they're in too deep and the only way out is to vacate and I can't see him doing that.”
