Kell Brook: There's No Looking Beyond Frankie Gavin

If Frankie Gavin is hoping Kell Brook might be taking him lightly or is too busy thinking about bigger things that might come in the future, he should think again.

The battle between the two British welterweights is the headline act on Matchroom Sports' pay-per-view bill at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, May 30.

Brook (34-0, 23 KO) will be putting his IBF title on the line, making a second defence of the belt he claimed by outpointing American Shawn Porter in Carson, California, last August.

He destroyed mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan in Sheffield at the end of March, stopping the overmatched Romanian inside four rounds at the Motorpoint Arena.

However, Gavin (22-1, 13 KO) should prove a much tougher obstacle to negotiate.

The 29-year-old from Birmingham became the first Englishman to win a gold medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2007, and he has since gone on to win both the British and Commonwealth titles in the paid ranks.

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The challenger has seemed under no illusions as to the size of the task facing him during the buildup, but he has suggested Brook is already eyeing some of the high-profile names at welterweight—including, of course, Amir Khan—for fights later in the year.

Gavin told Sky Sports: "He wants to be in the big fights to keep his name out there and get it mentioned alongside those fighters. I do not think he is overlooking me at all, but, if he is, he is a very stupid guy.”

Brook, however, has only one thing on his mind right now—remaining a world champion.

He had less than a week off after demolishing Dan, opting to quickly return back to work at the Dominic Ingle-run Wincobank Gym in his home city of Sheffield.

While the 29-year-old acknowledges facing Gavin is a “risk” at this stage of his career, he has left nothing to chance during his preparations for the domestic clash in the capital.

“There’s no looking beyond him (Gavin),” he said. “I always push myself. There’s no chance of me slacking in training. I’ve got Dominic (Ingle, his trainer) with me, and he’s seen it all before.

“He makes sure that he pushes me every day in the gym.

“It is a risk (fighting Gavin). It’s a risk fighting another British fighter. But boxing is a risky game—anything can happen. We know that.

“I just need to make sure I do my part. The more I train, the luckier I get.”

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Brook’s desire to return to the ring so quickly after the Dan fight came after a life-changing experience in Tenerife, Spain, last year.

On holiday after his impressive victory over Porter, the British boxer's world was turned upside down when he was stabbed in the leg. In recalling the incident to Riath Al-Samarrai of the Daily Mail, he said, “I feared for my life.”

While he has thankfully now fully recovered, the attack has left a few scars on Brook—and not just the sizeable one across his left thigh that offers a constant reminder to just how close he came to seeing his career, and possibly even his life, come to a grisly end.

“He’s trying to make up for lost time,” explained Ingle, who had to take a slow and steady approach with Brook when he initially returned to the gym. “He had such a long time out of the ring. He had been due to be out in December, but obviously the attack put him out.

“He never had the chance to capitalise on his world title fight.”

Those chances to capitalise are now looming on the horizon. Both Brook and Ingle confirmed discussions had already been held with his promoter, Eddie Hearn, over the possibility of staging another fight in Sheffield—potentially at Bramall Lane, the home of Sheffield United—towards the end of August.

Before then, however, he must make sure he does not suffer a first career defeat against Gavin, a slick, counterpunching southpaw who is also now part of the Matchroom stable of fighters.

“He’s a very good boxer. You don’t just win world championships in the amateurs—nobody else has done that from England,” Brook said. “I know he’s training unbelievably for this fight, and I’m excited for the challenge.”

On facing Gavin, Ingle added, “He likes to fight on the back foot. What he does is basic, but it is very, very effective. He can frustrate some fighters. But, luckily for Kell, we have a gym full of fighters like that. He is used to that kind of style.”

Brook’s success has already started to reap benefits. Together with partner Lindsey and their two daughters, he has just moved into what he describes as "a nice big palace."

"I’m excited to have my girls in there, in a nice area," he said. "I’m just working hard to make sure we stay there.”

Gavin could make him work hard, but Brook is prepared to do whatever it takes to remain unbeaten.

Talk of money-spinning fights against some of the division's biggest names can wait until after May 30. For now, Brook has just one task on his to-do list: retain the IBF title.

Rob Lancaster is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes used in the story were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated.