The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Brook vows to ‘shock the world’
Boxing: Sheffield fighter will be driven by fear factor during Golovkin bout
Kell Brook spoke of the “fear factor” involved in next month’s showdown against WBC and IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
The 30-year-old steps up from welterweight to challenge a fighter widely compared to Mike Tyson and on the brink of establishing himself among the finest middleweights in history.
Brook is already considered a major underdog for their September 10 clash at London’s 02 Arena, but the Sheffield fighter remains adamant that the risks involved will inspire his greatest performance.
“There’s a fear factor in this, I’m going to be so sharp, so alive for that night,” Brook said.
The undefeated IBF welterweight champion has often underperformed when over-confident, notably doing so against Carson Jones in 2012, but he is looking forward to seeing how he fares against one of boxing’s elite.
“Nobody’s ever got the best out of me, all the opponents I’ve been in with. I want to test myself to the highest I can be,” he said.
“I know that September 10th we’re going to see the best in me. I’m excited myself, to see what I can do.
“I always seem to do enough, and I always find a way to win, and it’s going to be the same September 10th. I’m going to shock the world,” added Brook, who cited Tyson as a source of inspiration ahead of his jump in weight by 13lbs.
Brook’s previous struggles to make the welterweight limit were no secret. He has often appeared to be at least a natural light-middleweight battling to remain at 147lbs.
The powerful Golovkin, meanwhile, remains the world’s most intimidating fighter through his record of stopping 32 of his 35 professional opponents. He has also only been taken to 11 rounds once.