KELL BROOK NEXT FOR CRAWFORD?

Multiple reports over the past week have been matching WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (36-0) with Britain’s Kell Brook (39-2). Crawford, who is looking for a return to the ring in June, hasn’t fought since December 2019 and is desperate to keep the momentum going. A fight with Kell Brook could be just the fight to do that.

Promoter Bob Arum has failed to match TBUD against anyone so far this year and last week he distanced themselves from a potentially huge fight with Manny Pacquiao. Arum told Fight Hub TV that Pacquaio was too old and not a competitive fight for Crawford. We asked the fans and many disagreed having seen the Filipino beat Keith Thurman back in July 2019 to retain his WBA title – however he himself hasn’t fought since then.

Another name mentioned as a potential opponent for Crawford is UFC star, Conor McGregor. Crawford has a wrestling background and says if given enough time to train, he would be serious to take the fight. “I know how to fight outside of boxing, the only thing different that I would have to worry about is the kicks, that’s it!” This would certainly be a good fight to take in terms of business for Top Rank and Crawford, however it seems more likely that McGregor will go for the bigger names – Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquaio.

Kell Brook hasn’t fought at 147 since 2017, when he lost his IBF title to Errol Spence and has only fought three lower level opponents since then. This inactivity is perhaps what Bob Arum and Top Rank see as an opportunity and they would be open to a potential bout in the U.K. Sheffield United’s 32,000 capacity stadium at Bramhall Lane has been touted, which is the same venue where Brook lost to Errol Spence. “I’ve heard them talk about Britain,” Brook said to Sky Sports. “We’ll have to wait. Bob Arum said to me, he likes the sound of Britain. Bramall Lane. It would be fantastic.”

Brook would be a good name for Crawford as it would provide some level of measure up to Errol Spence to draw comparisons and it’s a much better time for Crawford to face him now than it was 3 years ago.

Brook told Sky Sports he saw Bob Arum on his recent trip to Las Vegas, “I basically went over and said, You’re running out of opponents for Crawford and I’m the guy to beat him. I’m here,”

“I saw Terence Crawford, he said he was ready for it, so everybody is on the same page. Everyone wants to make the fight. We just need to make the numbers count for me, for it to make business sense, and then we can get training and get ready for the fight.”

Boxing fans await to see how long the Coronavirus delays future boxing events, fingers crossed it won’t be too long and we can get back to watching the sport we all love!