Kell Brook Rejects Timothy Bradley Fight, Eyes IBF Title Shot and Ricky Hatton

Given the plethora of alphabet titles that populate boxing’s 17 weight classes, the sport has become infamously known for how fighters are able to navigate sanctioning body rankings and mandatory positions to avoid challenging fights and craft relatively easy paths to ultimately worthless titles.

According to ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, welterweight contender Kell Brook has done such maneuvering by rejecting an offer to fight current WBO champion Timothy Bradley Jr. on December 15 on HBO.

Before crying foul and completely discrediting Brook’s decision, the business aspect of his choice must be considered, a fact Rafael readily acknowledges: “Top Rank did make an offer to Brook, although HBO had not fully signed off on having him as the opponent. Also, Top Rank's offer of about $500,000 was nothing spectacular.”

Furthermore, according to Rafael, “Brook can make that payday [from his upcoming fight on October 20] and then be in position for the [IBF] title bout, where he is guaranteed at least 25 percent of the money under a potential purse bid and, as a mandatory, won't have to give up options or a rematch clause.”

On October 20, Brook (28-0, 18 KO) is slated to face Hector David Saldivia in a fight that promises to be far easier than an encounter with Bradley. Despite a glossy record, Saldivia (41-2, 32 KO) has not fought anyone of major consequence, and given that he’ll be fighting at home, Brook will be the overwhelming favorite and should expect a relatively easy night’s work. 

Should Brook win, he will become the official mandatory challenger for the winner of the October 20 IBF title fight between Randall Bailey and Devon Alexander, a position for which Brook tells Rafael he and promoter Eddie Hearn have been consciously striving:

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“Eddie [Hearn] has worked hard to get me into this position and providing I beat Saldivia, I'll be fighting for a world title at the start of 2013, and it will be on my terms. I would love that to be in Sheffield, too, and I know Eddie would do his best to get it here as it would be an amazing event.”

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While Brook and Hearn are saying all the right things, one has to wonder if taking an elimination bout against a low-grade opponent is wiser than snagging an immediate title shot.

One factor to consider is the possible location of a Brook title fight. By rejecting the offer to fight Bradley, Brook avoids having to make a trip to hostile territory, and his fight against Saldivia is safely scheduled in his hometown of Sheffield. Naturally, Brook is a major draw in his hometown, and luring Bradley there would be impossible at this point.

Going the IBF route, however, does not guarantee that Brook’s title shot will be on home soil. Should Bailey defeat Alexander, Brook could surely negotiate for his title challenge to be in Sheffield, because Bailey is not a significant enough draw in America.

That said, if Alexander defeats Bailey—which seems likely, though with Bailey’s insane power one never knows—he also brings his local St. Louis fanbase to the negotiating table. If Alexander has the IBF title, it seems unlikely that he will readily relinquish the fight’s location, even if Brook draws larger numbers in England—of course, in St. Louis, Alexander is no slouch.

Another intriguing aspect to consider is that fighting Bradley or Alexander boils down to a “pick your poison” type of scenario for Brook. Alexander and Bradley are boxers of similar caliber, and at this point, Brook seems to be putting an extra fight in the way of what would be equally challenging bouts (against Bradley or Alexander).

The above scenario is perhaps unfair to Bailey, who should never be counted out of a fight, but Brook seems to possess a perhaps false assurance that the road he has selected unequivocally makes the most sense. Brook has been a quality prospect and contender for a long time, and if he isn’t ready for a major fight now, he never will be.

Another cause for concern regarding Brook’s decision to fight Saldivia is the Sheffield man’s most recent performance against the gritty Carson Jones (34-9-2, 24 KO). Possessing a natural skill and speed advantage, Brook boxed beautifully over the fight’s first half, and he befuddled the aggressive but plodding Jones. 

However, once Jones got to Brook and hurt him, the fight took a drastic turn. In escaping with a majority decision win, Brook, while exhibiting tremendous courage and heart, showed he can be hurt and lose control of what appeared to be an easy fight. While it seems unlikely that this will happen against Saldivia, the threat is certainly there.

Rafael also reports that Brook is interested in fighting Ricky Hatton, though hopefully this will not materialize. At 26, Brook should be looking to fight the likes of Alexander or Bradley, even if he takes a roundabout route to get there.

For now, Brook and his team get the benefit of the doubt. If Brook eventually wins the IBF title, he should be looking for fights against the division’s best prime boxers as opposed to padding his record with once-great names. Brook’s moment appears to be imminent, and he must be ready to grasp it.