Kell Brook injured, pulls out of fight with Diego Chaves

Kell Brook was scheduled to defend the IBF welterweight title on October 24 in Sheffield, with Showtime and Sky Box Office televising, but that fight is off, as Brook has suffered a rib injury while sparring. The show will go on in the United Kingdom, moving to Sky Sports and featuring the Matchroom Boxing debut of Chris Eubank Jr.

Brook (35-0, 24 KO) won the IBF belt from Shawn Porter in August 2014, and has defended twice this year, beating mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan in March and Frankie Gavin in June. Chaves (23-2-1, 19 KO) was to be a step up from those opponents, a top 15 fighter in the welterweight division, a good puncher, and someone who had been in with top competition in the form of Keith Thurman, Tim Bradley, and Brandon Rios.

"Kell picked up a rib injury in sparring yesterday and spent most of the day at hospital yesterday," promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports. "Kell was desperate to fight but it was simply impossible and we will now look to reschedule the bout for the end of the year."

Devastated I'm out of the fight next week-wanted to fight on but can't give my belt up after working so hard to get it.Rescheduled date soon

— Kell Brook (@SpecialKBrook) October 16, 2015

Eubank (19-1, 14 KO) will take on American club fighter Tony Jeter (20-4-1, 14 KO) in what figures to be an easy night, one that is meant to set up a December 12 fight with Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan. Also on the card Saturday, Gavin McDonnell (13-0-2, 4 KO) will defend the European super bantamweight title against Jeremy Parodi (37-2-1, 9 KO), and Leigh Wood (15-1, 8 KO) will take on Josh Wale (18-7-2, 10 KO) in a featherweight bout.