Kell Brook vs. Frankie Gavin: Latest Pre-Fight Odds, Comments and Predictions

In a weekend chock full of quality boxing matches, the bout between Kell "The Special One" Brook (34-0, 23 KOs) and Frankie Gavin (22-1, 13 KOs) at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday could be the best of them. Both fighters are in their athletic prime and have sterling records and plenty of technical acumen.

The undefeated Brook is making his second defense of the IBF world welterweight title he took from Shawn Porter in a majority-decision victory in August 2014. Gavin is the clear underdog in this one, despite having just one close loss on his boxing ledger: a split-decision defeat at the hands of Leonard Bundu, also in August of last year. Since then, he's won three fights to earn a date with Brook.

It's a scheduled 12-round bout Saturday, with major implications for both fighters. Here's a look at the latest pre-fight odds, comments and predictions for the matchup.

Odds

Boxer	Odds
Frankie Gavin	15-2
Kell Brook	1-14

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of May 28 at 5 a.m. ET.

Comments, Prediction

While Brook has fought and defeated the likes of Porter and Jo Jo Dan, Gavin insists the Sheffield man has not yet met a better technician in the squared circle.

"I am still the best technical fighter Kell Brook has ever fought, and I don’t think anyone can argue with that,” he said, via RingTV.com's Tom Gray. 

Gavin, a quick-hitting southpaw, also laid out some ways in which he can take the fight to Brook, per Gray:

"

Kell has got great timing and accuracy. He’s a strong, solid, all-round fighter but there are definitely weaknesses there which I can exploit. He leans over his front foot a lot and he’s a lot easier to hit than I am.

Kell has done well against southpaws but you have to remember who they are and who I am. Jo Jo Dan stood there, flatfooted, and Kell teed off on him all night. I’m difficult to tag cleanly and I take every advantage out of being a southpaw that I possibly can.

"

It's no secret that Brook is the heavy favorite and one of British boxing's fastest-rising stars—the glut of talent in and around the welterweight division affords rated opponents who can instantly boost a boxer's reputation—but it appears he's not letting the chatter get to his head.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Gavin's record has but one blemish, and Brook knows it would be foolish to take the fellow 29-year-old lightly, per the Daily Mail's Martin Domin:

"

He's a very classy opponent, he won the amateur world title and when he's up for a fight he always performs. 

The fans are in for a treat. I'm fully prepared and I'm not looking past Frankie Gavin.

"

He expressed similar sentiments in an interview with Bleacher Report UK:

Brook and Gavin are both eager fighters at this stage of their respective careers. Gavin has seemed intent on putting the August 2014 Bundu loss as far in his rear-view mirror as possible, fighting and beating Mate Hornyak in October, Bradley Skeete in November and Bogdan Mitic just this past March. For some boxers, that might prove to be too torrid a pace, but Gavin has acquitted himself well in winning all three of those bouts.

Brook was forced into a monthslong layoff from fighting after suffering a grisly leg wound in an unprovoked machete attack last September. He came back to beat Dan in March, so he too is on a quick turnaround for this next defense.

His leg looked little worse for wear against Dan, but keen observers will no doubt be keeping an eye on his conditioning and movement in this bout. Gavin might be wise to test Brook's leg by bouncing around and using the whole ring at the O2 Arena.

This fight could be much closer than the odds would suggest. Light heavyweight boxer Enzo Maccarinelli thinks Gavin will be a tough out:

Gavin is adept at avoiding big shots, and his southpaw stance could prove troublesome for Brook. It may take time for this fight to warm up, which could favor Gavin, but in the end Brook should find his range, waste fewer punches and win this one on the cards.

Prediction: Brook wins by unanimous decision