Brook throws down the gauntlet
KELL Brook is on course for a showdown against Amir Khan later this year after a spectacular second-round knockout of Sergey Rabchenko at the Sheffield Arena.
Brook has long coveted a bout against his British rival but those prospects seemed to diminish when he followed up a fruitless jump to middleweight to challenge Gennady Golovkin in September 2016 by losing his IBF welterweight title to Errol Spence Jr last May.
However, the 31-yearold drew a line under those defeats in style in his first foray into the light-middleweight division as he needed less than five minutes to dispose of Belarusian Rabchenko to the delight of a home crowd in South Yorkshire.
In doing so, Brook not only rejuvenated his career but laid down the gauntlet to Khan, who will end a near two-year layoff when he takes on Canada’s Phil Lo Greco at a catchweight of 150lbs in Liverpool next month.
Eddie Hearn, who promotes the pair, said: “That fight potentially happens in November or December.
“My job for both guys is to provide the biggest fights out there and I feel that fight is the biggest out there for both of them. I just feel one day, if we don’t make that fight, we’ll look back and think ‘ohh’, everyone will.
“Kell showed he’s 100 per cent firing on all cylinders and Amir’s got to show that on April 21, and then we’ll move on.”
Khan is not the only option available to Brook, who feels he delivered a warning to the division’s top fighters with his demolition of Rabchenko, who had lost only twice in 31 contests.
Brook said: “I’m putting the champions on notice. I’m aiming for the stars. I’m going to go out and win another world title.” BARRY McGUIGAN has tipped Josh Taylor to become a world champion after he claimed his 11th career knockout against Winston Campos on Saturday night.
Thousands inside Glasgow’s SSE Hydro witnessed the 27-year-old dominate his Nicaraguan opponent for three rounds before the contest – if you could call it that – was brought to a halt as he kept hold of his WBC Silver Super Lightweight belt.
Taylor, a gold medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – is now poised to face either Jose Ramirez or Amir Imam in June for the chance of a title shot, and McGuigan has no doubt his protégé is up to that challenge.
“Unless something amazing happens, the fight in June would be a final eliminator,” said McGuigan. “Josh is learning and improving all the time, so there is no urgency to rush him into this fight. He’s only had 12 professional fights, remember.
“Jesus Christ, I had 12 in my first year. That’s how the game has changed. But I love the way he is embracing the professional game.
“It’s so lovely for me when I hear all these guys who were on the GB squad with Josh saying: ‘He’s a hot-head. He’s a nutter. He’s skilful but he’s a balloon who loses his temper, can’t keep his composure. And, what’s more, he can’t punch.’
“How silly do they look now? He is a ruthless puncher. He is fast, he has control, he is intelligent, he keeps his composure. He is one of the best young fighters in the world right now.”
Earlier in the night, Scotland’s Lee McGregor and Joe Ham continued their impressive records in the pro ranks, McGregor moving to three wins from three while Gorbals man Ham now sitting at a 100 per cent record from his 14 bouts since turning professional after Glasgow 2014. He was impressive again, and bigger things lie ahead for the 26-year-old.
For Charlie Flynn there was more frustration against Ryan Collins as his fight with the Ayrshireman was stopped for the second time in 11 months due to an accidental head-butt, the contest ending in a draw.