When we last saw IBF world champion Kell Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) in action he had just fought his second fight in months. This is rather unheard of in today’s boxing for a defending world champion. Brook scored stoppages in both of those defenses. Brook was then scheduled to face former world title challenger Diego Chaves of Argentina. This going to be a good measuring stick for Brook with Chaves drawing with world champion Timothy Bradley. Brook suffered an injury prior to the fight and it was postponed. The IBF had an eliminator match to fight Brook which was won by Kevin Bizier (25-2, 17 KOs). He will now face Brook this Saturday.
The bout will take place at the Sheffield Arena, in Brook’s native Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. It will be Brook’s first fight in nearly a year. Activity aside Brook is not expected to have much problems at all with Bizier. Prior to his injury and inactivity Brook had been fighting rather aggressively. This can be partly attributed to the level of competition. Those who saw Brook’s world title winning effort over Shawn Porter saw a Brook that did a lot of holding in route to the un entertaining victory.
Bizer is a decent sized welterweight with good power. Brook will likely still be aggressive being that Bizier is a come forward opponent and has never fought anyone as a pro on the level of a Brook. The welterweight division is still rather vacant at the top since the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year. The Keith Thurman vs. Porter fight was going to establish one of the guys to be near the top of the welterweight division but a Thuman injury saw the fight pushed back. Brook’s fight is before the third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Bradley on April the 9th. A match between Brook and the winner would be massive in England. The opportunities seem to be in abundance for Brook which is why losing to Bizier is not an option.
