Brook: Gavin Is Getting Nowhere Near My Belt

Kell Brook defends his IBF World Welterweight title against Frankie Gavin on Saturday night at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports Box Office – and the champion has no intention of relinquishing his status in boxing’s money-division.

Brook demolished his mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan in devastating fashion in March in his hometown of Sheffield in a long-awaited return to the ring.

The Special One had to wait over seven months for that first defence of the belt he ripped from Shawn Porter in August after a horrific stabbing incident on holiday threatened his life and career.

Brook made a full recovery and shone on his comeback and now he faces former World Amateur champion Gavin in his second defence – and Brook is in no mood to see his reign end.

“Frankie is getting nowhere near this belt,” said Brook. “He can look at it, I might even let him touch it, but he’s not taking it from me. It’s my belt, it took me a long time to get it and there’s no way he’s getting it.

“I’ve done the hard work and now it’s time to have fun. He won the worlds in the amateurs, he’s a nice guy that I’ve spoken to at other shows, and he can fight. I will be on the front foot attacking him all day and night, I know he’s a good counter-pincher and is a good judge of distance, but I have a good boxing brain in my head and I’ll be doing all I need to do and I’ll find the answers because I can do it all.

“Saying on Twitter that I would stop him in three rounds was just to bring some excitement into it, but when I land my right hand on his chin properly, it’s good night, so it could even be the first round, we’ll see.

“He’s got a lot to prove, I haven’t been overly impressed with his recent performances and if he turns up like he has done for his last few fights he won’t last very long with me.

“I have momentum from the Jo Jo Dan fight, I told Eddie Hearn I wanted to be back out and in a proper fight and here we are. It’s an exciting fight, he’s wanted it for a long time and now he’s got it. Two Brits fighting for a World title is great, he called Eddie and said he wanted it and he has seen things in me that make him think he can beat me.

“I am 100 per cent on this fight. He’s up for it, he’s a classy fighter and he performs well in the big fights – this is a serious fight for me and one that I cannot wait to excel in.”

Brook’s clash with Gavin is one of three World title fights on a massive night of action in Greenwich, as Kevin Mitchell challenges Jorge Linares for the WBC World Lightweight title and Lee Selby meets IBF World Featherweight champion

Anthony Joshua MBE steps-up in class against Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson and there are three great domestic title bouts on the undercard with John Ryder tackling Nick Blackwell for the vacant British Middleweight strap, Scotty Cardle and Craig Evans tussle for the vacant British Lightweight belt and Dave Ryan defends his Commonwealth Light Welterweight title against John Wayne Hibbert. Former World champion Nathan Cleverly is in action and Lucien Reid makes his pro debut.

Limited tickets remain on sale for the bumper night of boxing at The O2 priced at £40 and £60 from www.theO2.co.uk and on 0844 856 0202.

Sky Sports Box Office will show Brook v Gavin exclusively live this Saturday. Buy now at www.skysports.com/brookgavin