This Saturday, Terence “Bud” Crawford Spurs his WBO welterweight title on the line against Kell Brook.
Normally, the Omaha native would look like an unquestionable presumed winner.
But this is Kell Brook.
The former IBF welterweight titling held that belt from 2014-2017 after he won a majority decision over Shawn Porter In August 2014.
After successfully defending his title three times, all via stoppage, Brook de coded to do the unthinkable and step up to middleweight to challenge then division boogeyman in Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin.
Kell Brook isn’t scared of the big stage 🏆 #CrawfordBrook pic.twitter.com/B926tAGt8t
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) November 11, 2020
This was September 2016, only six months after his second round TKO over Kevin Bizier.
Although Brook was staggered early in the first round, he stayed solid actually gaining ground on the bigger fighter as the rounds peeled off.
After sustaining heavy damage in the fifth, his trainer waved off the fight but it was only Brook’s first loss.
He then stepped up to defend his title against welterweight boogeyman, Errol Spence, Jr.
Brook was stopped in the eleventh round, however, his zeal to face back-to-back monsters and show up solidly did not go unnoticed.
Fast forward and Brook has compiled a current three Fight win streak, of which, two are KO’s.
Kell Brook will shock boxing fans this weekend. Save this tweet.
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) November 8, 2020
He is back in title contention and faces Terence Crawford in Las Vegas live on ESPN for the world to see.
It will be the first time the world has seen Bud against a fighter of Brook’s caliber, although the Amir Khan fight should have been the blockbuster the world expected.
Still questions linger over Brook.
Will he make the weight? In his last fight where he executed an impressive seventh round stoppage of Mark DeLuca in February, he fought at the light middleweight limit of 154lbs.
Is he over the hill? At 34 years old he is by no ,Evans a dinosaur but in boxing that is not spring chicken worthy. Also after 41 fights and on the bad end of two knockouts, is he the same against an opponent of Crawford’s caliber?
Former welterweight kingpin, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., has expressed that he feels Terence Crawford is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world currently.
This is not a small compliment from a man who retired at 50-0 as the best boxer-businessman hybrid ever.
But like Leo Santa Cruz was for Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Kell Brook is a name that garners respect and is needed for Crawford’s resume.
Brook will test Crawford and push him but will Crawford adjust like Davis and crush him like that now infamous left hook did Santa Cruz?
Crawford is currently on a seven fight stoppage spree so the odds are ever in his favor, however, this is boxing where one punch can change it all.
Regardless, Kell Brook is deserving of the opportunity and will deliver nothing more than greatness against the boogeyman in all of boxing today.
