Kell Brook vs Vyacheslav Senchenko set for October 26

Kell Brook hasn't had the best of luck in 2013, with a pair of dates for his first world title shot canceled and then the fight itself called off entirely, but he's looking to close the year strong. He started with a dominant win over Carson Jones on July 13, putting to bed any doubts lingering from their first fight, and now will face off with former WBA titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko on October 26 in Sheffield.

Brook (30-0, 20 KO) had put himself into position as the mandatory challenger to Devon Alexander and the IBF belt, and that fight was scheduled for two different dates in the States earlier this year. But injuries to both fighters pushed the bout back twice, and Brook was taken out of his ranking and the fight canceled.

Senchenko (33-1, 22 KO) had an up-and-down 2012 and hasn't fought this year. He lost his WBA title in awful fashion to Paulie Malignaggi, who took the risk and a low payday to go to Ukraine, where he used his jab to dice up Senchenko and totally dominate en route to a ninth round TKO loss.

But in November, Senchenko was brought to the United Kingdom as the opponent for Ricky Hatton's ill-fated comeback. Senchenko and Hatton went back-and-forth for much of the fight, but the bigger, fresher man scored a ninth round body shot knockout and ended the comeback hopes of the "Hitman," not a win that makes him a serious contender at 147 again by itself, but one that put him into the headlines.

Senchenko does have a tune-up scheduled right now for August 24, as he's slated to face Argentina's Carlos Adan Jerez (37-15-3, 18 KO) in Donetsk. Assuming he gets through that without any issue (if it still happens), he's a decent enough test for Brook in October, and one that makes sense given his notoriety there from the Hatton win.