Home Boxing News Michael Zerafa relishing underdog status ahead of Kell Brook clash in December

Michael Zerafa relishing underdog status ahead of Kell Brook clash in December

Michael Zerafa
Photo Credit: Louie Abigail/Rockfingrz

Commonwealth junior middleweight champion Michael ‘Pretty Boy’ Zerafa 25-2 (14) has got the call up to face Kell ‘Special K’ Brook 37-2 (26) on December 8 in Sheffield, England.

The news didn’t sit well with Brook’s local rival Amir Khan, who took a swipe at both boxers on social media.

“You mention me in all your interviews saying ‘I want to fight Khan next’. All the crying you do, then you go and fight another bum!” said Khan, who has been agitating for a fight with Brook at either welterweight or a catchweight.

The 26-year-old Australian didn’t take kindly to the slur.

“You can tell Amir Kahn that it’s funny how he talks smack once Kell Brook is booked for a fight,” Zerafa told World Boxing News.

“The truth is, Khan has been running scared for ages!”

“Once I beat Kell Brook on December 8 I’ll be after him next, I’ll be handing toothpicks to Kahn so he can get the leather out his teeth!”

Zerefa was more complimentary of Brook, but said that he sees lots of holes in his game that he plans to exploit on fight night.

“Kell is a great fighter and champion. But I also see a ship with a lot of holes and too many holes leads to a sunken ship,” continued Zerafa.

“He’s been in there with the best but believe I belong in the same ring as those fighters. I’m super-hungry for that win.

“December 8th, there will be a huge upset and will surprise a lot of people.”

Zerafa claimed the Commonwealth 154-pound crown when he stepped in at short notice to replace the injured Anthony Buttigieg against England’s Adam Harper at the Melbourne Pavilion in March, winning a wide points decision after 12 fast-paced rounds.

He has fought twice since, a 10-round near-shutout victory over the durable Wade Ryan in June and a TKO3 of Colombian journeyman Jose Agustin Feria in August.

The 32-year-old Brook bounced back from back-to-back stoppage losses to former middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin in 2016 and IBF welterweight boss Errol Spence Jr last year to knockout previously world-ranked prospect Siarhei Rabchanka in two rounds in March.

Despite being the younger, fresher and more active fighter, Zerafa is expected to enter the fight a sizeable underdog against the battle-tested Brook.

“I love being the underdog and they have already overlooked me – which is great. I’m not the same fighter I was when I fought Peter Quillin. December 8 I will prove that,” said Zerafa.

“I’ve already dreamt of beating Kell Brook and replayed the fight over and over in my head. I was born for greatness and December 8 is the beginning.”