Kell Brook should have been enjoying his moment, instead he's been recovering from being stabbed. He'll show the world what he's made of when he returns to the ring

  • It's time to judge what Kell Brook is made of when he makes his comeback from being stabbed
  • I want to make summer fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios or Keith Thurman if Brook beats Jo Jo Dan on March 28
  • But June 13 at Wembley works if Amir Khan wants to talk
  • Then we want the winner of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao
  • Talks have started over Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg
  • I will make Luke Campbell vs Tommy Coyle in Hull in mid-July 

It’s nearly time for Kell Brook to make an emotional walk to the ring and fight Jo Jo Dan on March 28. He has the world at his feet again and I’m looking at fights against the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios and Keith Thurman in the summer and then the winner of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. But it was so nearly game over for Kell.

I remember being sat next to his bed in the hospital in Tenerife and I didn’t know if he would fight again. I think it’s hard for you or I to imagine to what he has been through since that horrific knife attack.

But this guy is special. Dan is going to face a fighter in Sheffield who has only thought about fighting for the past six months. It has been hard on Kell – he won a world title and what was supposed to be his moment has been spent recovering from that attack. It’s been a nightmare.

Kell Brook with his world title in September as he began his recovery from being stabbed in the leg

Kell Brook with his world title in September as he began his recovery from being stabbed in the leg

The challenge – and it is a big challenge – will be handling himself in the right manner on the night. Everyone wants to see how he comes back physically from what happened. But how will he cope with the emotions? He will be in his own city, defending his title after all that frustration and pain. There is a lot that can go wrong in those circumstances.

But Kell is different to normal people. The night he won his world title against Shawn Porter in California, the stakes were so high. He was fighting in Porter’s backyard after having so many title shots postponed because of injury. A normal person could easily have been swallowed up by that pressure – the rest of us were properly nervous.

I was there in his dressing room looking at him for a sign of how he was feeling. My dad walked over to Kell just before he put his gloves, grabbed his arm and said to him: ‘This is your time, don’t let this moment pass.'

I went outside the dressing room and my dad was smiling. He said to me: ‘That boy is barely breathing. He is about to fight for the world title in America and his pulse is so low.’

The Sheffield fighter lands a punch on Shawn Porter on his way to becoming world champion in August 2014

The Sheffield fighter lands a punch on Shawn Porter on his way to becoming world champion in August 2014

I am telling you, this guy has ice in his veins. Nothing fazes him. He has been stabbed in the leg and could have died. Now, a few months on he is fighting to retain his world title. People will doubt him but I won’t.

That is why I will make the biggest fights possible for him if he comes through this next challenge against Dan. I have already made contact with Marquez’s people and also Rios’s representatives. Marquez is a legend and that would be a huge fight and Rios has been a world champion. Thurman is also keen and a quality fighter. Any one of those guys in Sheffield in June would be a very big fight.

After that, I would love to see Kell fight Pacquiao or Mayweather. Anyone would. After those two fight on May 2, the winner and Kell will be the only world champions in the welterweight division. It would be a great unification match.

Of course, the fight the whole country wants to see is Kell versus Amir Khan. Khan’s team told us the fight would happen one day but why not on June 13 at Wembley? We can’t wait forever for them.

All Kell can do is take care of his own business later this month. It’s a challenge but he always comes through.

Brook is putting together his final training preparations before fighting Jo Jo Dan later this month

Brook is putting together his final training preparations before fighting Jo Jo Dan later this month

 

Another fight everyone is desperate to see is Carl Frampton versus Scott Quigg. Talks are underway between me and Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions, who look after Frampton.

Scott is not worried about where the fight is staged or what television channel it is shown on – we just want to make this fight. Of course the finances have to be right and we have submitted a proposal that will pay both fighters huge money. They will talk with their broadcaster and see what’s on offer and then hopefully we will sit down as soon as possible.

After that, we can push negotiations on. I’m not sure if we will ever find an agreed split - I would be happy for a 60-40 purse split in favour of the winner. If you really fancy it I can’t see a problem with that. Let’s see.

We can talk about world titles and legacy and exposure but ultimately this is a super fight – and in a super fight it is only right that these two great fighters get the best deal possible financially.

If we can all reach an agreement, then I would love to make this fight in June. We’d be happy to fight in Belfast if the numbers were right, but likewise Manchester would be brilliant and so would the O2 Arena in London. There is a long way to go but who wouldn’t want to see this fight?

Scott Quigg (right) joins Carl Frampton in the ring after he beat Chris Avalos in Belfast last month

Scott Quigg (right) joins Carl Frampton in the ring after he beat Chris Avalos in Belfast last month

 

Tony Bellew is back in the UK after his foray into Hollywood. Don’t ask me how he came to be involved in the Creed film, but what a great opportunity for him.

We will be talking in the coming days about his options, but rest assured after beating Nathan Cleverly last time out, he will be in a world title fight next time.

We are looking at all four of the cruiserweight world champions. Marco Huck, the WBO champion, is keen and appeals to us as well. But we would fight any of Denis Lebedev (WBA champion), Grigory Drozd (WBC) or Yoan Pablo Hernandez (IBF).

All are quality fighters and I have had good feedback on all options so watch this space.

 

We are heading for a brilliant battle of Hull lightweights this summer. Golden boy Luke Campbell was brilliant again in beating Levis Morales in Hull at the weekend and Tommy Coyle survived a huge scare against Martin Gethin on the same card.

He was knocked down but got up and perforated Gethin’s ear drum to win. They are both huge draws in the city and now I am going to make the fight between them for this summer.

They are a great mix. Coyle’s family is known all over Hull – they have a fruit and veg stall in the middle of the city and Tommy is full of beans. Luke is already an MBE, the boy with an Olympic gold medal.

Tommy Coyle celebrates his win over Martin Gethin at The Hull Arena on March 7

Tommy Coyle celebrates his win over Martin Gethin at The Hull Arena on March 7

Above all else, they are tremendous fighters. It will really divide the city. I am looking at the KC Stadium and Craven Park, probably for a date in mid-July.

Many people would have Campbell as favourite but how can anyone underestimate Tommy Coyle? This will be a huge night.

 

I would like to say here how relieved I was to hear that Charlie Payton is OK after being taken to hospital following his defeat against Bobby Jenkinson in Hull at the weekend. He looked in a bad way but has been given the all-clear, thankfully.

It reminds you how tough this sport is and, for me, it reinforces that above all else these guys ought to get the paydays they deserve. People say that fighters should ignore the money and just get fights made – it is easy to say when you are not the one putting your health on the line for your living. Fight for titles and fight for glory, of course, but let’s remember what these athletes put themselves through in the process.

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