THE RULE BROOK

Kell: I’ve been out for a while but won’t use it as an excuse ...if I can’t perform,i’ll quit

KELL BROOK claims he will quit if he does not impress on his comeback against Mark Deluca tonight.

Brook faces Deluca in his first fight in 14 months at the FLYDSA Arena in his native Sheffield and the former IBF welterweight king still aims to become a two-time world champ.

“If I don’t perform, I will retire,” said Brook. “I wouldn’t carry on if I didn’t feel I could become world champion again.

“I know I’ve been out for a while but I’m not going to talk about ring rust or use it as an excuse. Sugar Ray Leonard was out of the ring for years and he beat Hagler.

“I’m like a fish to water, I’m just going to jump right back in and this is what I’ve always done.” Brook, 33, is confident he will not be retiring yet and says he has never felt happier, even though he has only beaten two journeymen since his devastating loss to Errol Spence Junior in May 2017.

Brook has a strong Christian faith and says he has felt at peace in camp.

“Camp’s felt completely different this time,” he said. “I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s something spiritual, the Almighty, that’s what’s happened.

“I believe in God almighty. I’m a Christian.

“You can’t work me hard enough in the gym, I just want more. Before I would need a few days off. It’s something spiritual where my body just doesn’t respond to pain.

“There’s a force, like a sixth sense, something different to what I’ve experienced before. It’s very powerful and very beautiful.

“If I die tomorrow and I could come back anytime, winning world titles and having my kids, this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.” Brook also rejected any suggestion he had come back for another pay cheque, insisting he still has “millions”.

He admitted in the past he cut corners in training but says this time he has given 100 per cent in camp.

“I was talking to a good friend of mine, who has been round the game for years called Damon Hague,” he said.

“His most famous fight was when he boxed Carl Froch, and he gave it 100 per cent.

“He could live at peace with himself because he gave his career 100 per cent.

“I know I’ve cut corners in every fight I’ve had because I’ve used my ability to get through. I’ve never been at 100 per cent, I’ve been about 60 or 70 per cent.

“Fighting at 100 per cent will take 10 years off me.

“I want to be the man,

I am the man. I just feel the mojo is back and it’s 10 times better than it’s ever been.”