Friday 27 March 2015 15:33, UK
Kell Brook is only just beginning to realise his true potential as he prepares to defend his world title for the first time against Jo Jo Dan, says Jim Watt...
I think this is only the start for Kell Brook as opposed to the realisation of a dream.
Even if you’ve won a world title, especially now in an age where there’s so much money to be won, you haven’t yet achieved your dream. Fighters are bigger than championships – Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are bigger than the title they’re fighting for – so Brook’s goal must be to prove himself as the best in the division.
These days the champion of the world isn’t necessarily the best in the world, so champions still have challenges out there to accomplish.
These days the champion of the world isn’t necessarily the best in the world, so champions still have challenges out there to accomplish. Brook is in a division with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao so that’s the motivation. Everybody wants to face the best to prove you are the best.
The word is that Mayweather wants to get to 50 fights so if he beats Pacquiao he’ll be looking for opponents. Wouldn’t that be lovely for Brook?
Provided Brook beats Dan, he’s immediately got the mandatory challenger out of the way leaving him free to organise some really big matches. That can be quite a nuisance if you’ve got your eye on a massive fight but the IBF are ordering you to fight the mandatory challenger instead.
He’ll hopefully have the rest of the year to build up some big fights, for example against Amir Khan. That’s a fight that has to take place, but even if it doesn’t, there’s some good Americans out there like Keith Thurman.
Step forwards
We don’t know what to expect on Saturday but you have to imagine the wound he received during that horrible attack in Tenerife has healed because if there were any problems it would have shown up in training.
I think he’s going to show up like the old Kell Brook that we all know. Dan is a decent performer but he’s not special – he was a good amateur, he works at a high pace, but he’s not a big puncher. Anything Dan does, Brook does a lot better.
Assuming he’s not feeling the injury, which I don’t think he will, he will looker better as the fight goes on.
Brook has the personality to step up to another level. There was a stage in his career when he called off a fight against Devon Alexander and you thought ‘does he want it?’
But that’s behind him now because he has taken a step forwards and won a world title. Now he’ll have the wonderful feeling of being introduced as IBF world champion in his hometown.
Watch Fight Night Live, featuring Brook v Dan, on Saturday from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD.
No contract? No problem. Watch Kell Brook against Jo Jo Dan on NOW TV with a Sky Sports Day Pass.
