I’ve made my uncle’s dream come true
PROUD BROOK’S ON HOME TURF
KELL BROOK can remember the days his uncle Johnny threw him up in the air at Bramall Lane when Sheffield United scored.
The IBF welterweight champion went to games with his uncle from the age of six and even the fighting on the terraces would not put him off his Saturday afternoons at the famous old ground. But tonight it’s Brook doing the scrapping – in a ring built on the centre circle at the home of his beloved Blades. Brook, 31, defends his title against unbeaten American Errol Spence Jnr at the home of Sheffield United. In doing so he will fulfil a prediction made by his uncle almost 25 years ago that he would fight there one day. “I’m just so happy that my uncle’s dream has come true,” said Brook. “My young memories are coming down here and my uncle used to chuck me in the air every time they scored. “I even saw some trouble when I was stood on the Kop. I suppose that’s part of it. When I told him the fight was sealed for Bramall Lane, he just said he knew.
“He said, ‘I told ya!’ We were both smiling about it – and it’s finally here now.”
Tonight will be the first time boxing has taken place on the pitch at Bramall Lane since Brook’s fellow Wincobank gym man Herol Graham stopped Lindell Holmes there in 1984.
Champion
This is just the latest in a long line of predictions from uncle Johnny Brook that have come to fruition.
Brook said: “He said I’d be a world champion, of course. He even said I’d win the different national titles as an amateur – and when I won the British title, he predicted the right round.
“He comes to all my fights, designs all my shorts for every single fight I have had. There’s a big input from him still.
“He says it will be a hard fight but he says I’ll come out victorious with a decision.” Brook will hope another of his uncle’s predictions comes true tonight, so United fans can continue to celebrate following their promotion to the Championship under boss Chris Wilder.
The victims of Monday’s bomb attack in Manchester will be remembered with a minute’s silence.
Brook has spoken about how he has been affected as he knew people at the Manchester Arena.
But tonight could be another occasion for the city of Sheffield to celebrate if Brook comes out on top, with Wilder’s Blades squad set to be there.
“They are buzzing for this fight,” Brook added. “It’s one thing after another for them. They have got 100 points, gone up – now Kell is fighting there.
“It’s been non-stop on the p**s for them. What a year it’s been for them and now I want to top it off with a fantastic win.”