Kell Brook feeling ‘fresh,’ wants top welterweights

On the one hand, Kell Brook seems to have basically given up on facing Amir Khan. On the other hand, he says he feels “very fresh” as he approaches Saturday’s fight in Sheffield with Michael Zerafa, and he used today’s press conference to call out top welterweights.

Well, that and bash Khan. But we’ve talked a lot about Khan-Brook and it’s seemingly fading hopes of happening plenty today. Long story short, Brook says blame Khan.

“I want any elite fighter and could weigh in at 147 tomorrow if I wanted, I’ve got that buzz again. I want the top guys, Shawn Porter with the WBC title if he wants a rematch or I’d love to bring Errol Spence Jr back in the summer and get the win. I feel very fresh, 12 months ago I gave myself a year before I would hang them up. Now I feel reborn, a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and I’m so happy.”

Brook (37-2, 26 KO) is the heavy favorite against Zerafa (25-2, 14 KO), which was expected to be a final tune-up for a bout with Khan that now appears unlikely. (Of course, things could change.)

As for the charge for another welterweight title, the former IBF titleholder obviously has big designs. He beat Porter back in 2014 for that IBF title. Porter now has the WBC title and is slated to return on March 9 against Yordenis Ugas. Spence beat Brook by stoppage in May 2017, and has a pay-per-view fight with Mikey Garcia set for March 16. As for getting Spence back in the United Kingdom, that seems unlikely — his star is rising, and he’d be the A-side and titleholder this time. If Brook wants another crack at Spence, he’d almost surely have to come to the States this time.