Home Boxing News Kell Brook tipped to take on Terence Crawford on November 14

Kell Brook tipped to take on Terence Crawford on November 14

Kell Brook

Former IBF welterweight champion Kell ‘Special K’ Brook 39-2 (27) looks to be in the box seat to challenge WBO 147-pound champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 36-0 (27) in November.

The 34-year-old from Sheffield, Yorkshire lost his IBF strap to Errol Spence Jr 26-0 (21) by 11th round stoppage in May 2017 after moving back down in weight following his ill-fated move to middleweight when he was knocked out in five by unified 160-pound champion Gennadiy Golovkin 40-1-1 (35) eight months earlier.

The fight against 32-year-old southpaw Crawford, from Omaha, Nebraska, would take place in the United States.

“We’re having advanced conversations with Brook,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef told Sky Sports.

“It makes sense for both fighters. We’re eyeing a November date if it can get done.

“November 14 is earmarked as the date. The location, as of now, is Las Vegas in a studio-type environment.

“There was talk of going to Omaha, where Crawford is from, in an intimate setting with some fans.

“We’re weighing it up. First we’ve got to see if we can put the match together. Then the venue.”

Speaking to Sky Sports, Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “I’ve been talking to [Top Rank CEO] Bob Arum about various things [including] Crawford against Brook, which looks close to happening as well.”

In his second fight in the US, Brook lifted the IBF belt from Shawn Porter 31-3-1 (17) in Los Angeles in August 2014, ending the American’s undefeated record.

Porter would go on to defeat Yordenis Ugas for the WBC welterweight championship in March 2019 after defeating Andre Berto, Adrian Granados and Danny Garcia following his close decision loss to Keith Thurman for the WBA belt in June 2016.

Speaking to Sky Sports previously about squaring off with Crawford, Brook said: “Talks are progressing and we feel like we are edging closer. My team have been in regular dialogue with [promoter] Bob Arum.

“He assures us that both him and Crawford are bang up for it, so hopefully we can get it over the line and give the fight fans something to get excited about and to close 2020 in style.

“Crawford is the champ so rightfully they want the fight stateside, Vegas has been discussed. It suits me though. I have always wanted to fight in Las Vegas – the bright lights of ‘Sin City’.

“I’ve dethroned a welterweight American world champion in his own back yard before – I look forward to doing it again.”

The end-goal for Crawford is a fight against reigning WBC and IBF champion Spence Jr, who had a tougher-than-expected split decision win against Porter in September last year.

In the weeks following his unification win he trashed his Ferrari, suffering relatively minor injuries after being ejected from his vehicle.

Next up for the Texan southpaw is a fight against former world champion Garcia in defence of his unified crown on November 21.

“Spence Jr’s accident, put that fight on the side,” duBoef said. “It should have happened this year.

“The welterweight division is going through these guys.

“Terence is a brilliant fighter – one of the best finishers I’ve seen in the past 10 years. He’s in a great weight class.”