Ranking the 5 Best Opponents for Kell Brook After His Win over Kevin Bizier
Considering he was defending a world title, Kell Brook couldn't have had it much easier on Saturday.
The Special One didn't even need to get out of first gear to retain his IBF welterweight title against Kevin Bizier in Sheffield, England.
Brook needed just five minutes and 15 seconds to see off the challenge (if that's what you can call it) of the Canadian. He probably broke into more of a sweat at Thursday's media workout.
Now, though, the 29-year-old wants to be involved in big fights. Per BBC Sport, he's ready and willing to take on anyone:
"I'll fight any fighter out there. I want to unify the division.
There's no-one who can touch me at 147 pounds, I'll clean up. I just need those fights and I'll show everyone I can do that.
I just want those big fights that bring the best out in me. In this sport I want to challenge myself to the best fights and see how many gears I can go up.
"
The pressure is on promoter Eddie Hearn to get one of his prized assets a serious test in the summer. Don't panic, Eddie, Bleacher Report is here to help.
We've ranked the best options out there for Brook, who can fight whoever he wants now he's dismissed mandatory challenger Bizier in a hurry.
Honourable Mentions
1 of 6
There are no shortage of options for Brook and Hearn to go after.
If unifying the division is the top priority, how about Jessie Vargas? The Californian is the WBO champion and proved his durability by going 12 rounds with Timothy Bradley Jr. in June 2015.
Errol Spence Jr. doesn't have a title, but the young American has the backing of Premier Boxing Champions and is ranked No. 2 by the IBF, according to FightNews.com.
Instead of sticking around at welterweight, Brook could follow rival Amir Khan and move up through the divisions.
If Khan is booked to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Brook may look to go one better and take on the biggest name at middleweight—Gennady Golovkin.
The Special One told Declan Taylor of BoxingScene.com (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com): "I told Eddie [that I want to fight Golovkin]. People don’t believe me. They think I avoid fighters, but it shows the cojones I’ve got. I want to fight Golovkin."
A catchweight contest against GGG? Now that is a big fight! However, it also seems unlikely.
Time to move on with the top five, starting with a fighter that Brook has been chasing harder than a dog who bolts after a passing car.
5. Amir Khan
2 of 6
It would be wrong to talk about potential opponents for Brook and not mention Khan's name.
The Bolton boxer (31-3, 19 KOs) could not be tempted into an all-British showdown at Wembley on June 4, instead choosing to move up in weight to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
The announcement of the catchweight bout—the pair will meet at 155 pounds on May 7—caught the boxing world by surprise.
Khan faces a sizeable challenge (and not just because he's stepping up) against Canelo, a fighter who has only lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a pro.
However, the move makes perfect business sense. After chasing Mayweather Jr. and then Manny Pacquiao, Khan has now landed the big fight he craved.
And, if he happens to lose to the WBC's middleweight champion, Brook will still be there as a profitable back-up plan.
4. Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter
3 of 6
Had things gone to plan, one of Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter would be sitting, waiting for a unification bout against Brook right now.
The two welterweights were meant to meet on March 12 until Thurman was involved in a car accident, per Nick Lustig of Sky Sports.
A new date has been set for June 25, with Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) putting his WBA belt on the line.
Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) has history with Brook. It was the Englishman who took the IBF strap from Showtime, handing him his only career defeat in the process, back in 2014.
The American would like a chance at revenge, per Boxing News:
"I’d definitely like a rematch with Brook. After I win the WBA title, that’s the one thing I’d like, to go for another title. So he is in my focus, he is in my firing line. I think a rematch would be even bigger than the first fight, with two world titles on the line. It would be a much bigger spectacle.
"
However, would Brook be willing to hang on and wait for Thurman and Porter to take care of business?
With the two Americans fighting in June, it is unlikely the winner would be keen for a quick turnaround before the end of the summer.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
3. Miguel Cotto
4 of 6
It was revealed in the buildup to the fight with Bizier that American broadcasters HBO had asked about the possibility of Brook facing Miguel Cotto on June 18.
Per Chris McKenna of the Daily Star, Hearn said: "HBO have approached us regarding the possibility of fighting Miguel Cotto on June 18 in New York, which we would jump at."
Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) was last seen in the ring losing to Alvarez at middleweight.
However, as a former world champion at welterweight and super welterweight, he could opt to move back down.
It seems highly unlikely, however, that the 35-year-old Puerto Rican would consider travelling to England. Kell, you may need to get the suitcases and passport out to make this one happen.
Former world champion turned television presenter Johnny Nelson believes there are two major stumbling blocks to the bout, telling Sky Sports: "The money Cotto would want and Brook giving up that IBF title would be the problems—one thing we don't do in this country is give up the belt."
2. Danny Garcia
5 of 6
Danny Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs) is the reigning WBC champion at 147 pounds, claiming the vacant title with a points victory over Robert Guerrero in January.
Brook is keen to take on the unbeaten American, per David Anderson of the Mirror: "Danny Garcia, the WBC champion, I'd love that fight. Any of those big names, I'd get excited about fighting."
The Englishman has two reasons to push for a clash with Garcia.
First, he would get the chance to add another belt to his collection, putting him in an even stronger position in a crowded division.
Second, Garcia’s record includes a win over a certain Amir Khan.
If Brook were to beat the 28-year-old from Philadelphia, it might help entice his fellow Englishman to fight him. At the very least, he can brag about achieving something that Khan failed to do.
However, Hearn isn't convinced Swift is in a rush to sign up, telling Declan Taylor of BoxingScene.com (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com): "I just don’t think Danny Garcia will fight Kell Brook. Everyone in boxing knows how good Kell Brook is. Talk to people in boxing, they will tell you good Kell Brook is…fighters, trainers, promoters."
1. Timothy Bradley Jr.
6 of 6
Timothy Bradley Jr. (33-1-1, 13 KOs) has a rather large fight coming up on April 9.
The American—nicknamed Desert Storm—has been selected to face Manny Pacquiao in what is set to be the Filipino's final professional bout before he heads into a full-time career in politics.
WBO champion Bradley has fought in England once before. He narrowly defeated Junior Witter—a gym-mate of Brook's in Sheffield—on points in Nottingham in 2008.
Hearn is confident he could tempt the 32-year-old to make the journey across the Atlantic Ocean again, per Tim Hobbs of Sky Sports: "The Bradley fight is one I've always thought could happen for Kell Brook.
"I think he's one of the elite fighters in the world that would travel."
In the same article, the promoter confirmed talks have been held with Top Rank—Bradley's promotional team—in the past.
If Bradley beats Pacquiao, the landscape changes again. There is always the chance that Pac-Man carries on fighting, too. However, we have to take his word about impending retirement.
Brook is happy to travel to the United States to fight any of the leading names. Per Sachin Nakrani of the Guardian, Hearn said: "If we have to travel, we will."
Would Brook beat Bradley, or any of the other names mentioned on this list? Have your say by using the comments section.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
