Pacquiao is likely to be aware of, yet if British promoter Frank Warren’s judgement proves correct, boxing aficionados will get a look at a young fighter who could be gunning for a shot at the Filipino phenomenon.
Moreover, a win puts Brook technically in line to face Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight gong.
Brook, a powerfully built 147-lb box-fighter from Sheffield, who is still developing, faces off against Poland’s World Boxing Organisation Intercontinental champion Krzysztof Bienias – in what will prove to be a world title eliminator at the ECHO Arena, Liverpool.
Brook has already captured one gong – when he was voted the 2009 Young Boxer of the Year – following in the footsteps of Amir Khan, Kevin Mitchell and others, and as the current British champion, has his eyes set across the water on Filipino fighter Pacquiao.
Warren has high hopes for him. “Kell is one of the best youngsters out there. This is a great opportunity for him. The winner of this fight gets into the number one spot to be the mandatory challenger for Manny Pacquiao’s title. I’m not suggesting Kell will be ready to fight Pacquiao if he gets through this but this time next year, with a bit more experience, he’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Brook’s opponent Bienias, is ranked number five by the WBO and has a more than respectable 39-3-0 record. Brook, though, has already set his sights further, to tomorrow night in fact, when he intends to sit down and watch Pacquiao’s first defence against Joshua Clottey with visions of dethroning the Filipino welter king.
“After I’ve knocked out Bienias I’ll sit down in front of the television and watch the Pacquiao fight,” said Brook, who went 23-0 when he won the Lonsdale belt outright last summer – boxers get to keep the belt after three defences – with a third round stoppage of Prizefighter champion Michael Lomax.
“If I hadn’t been fighting on Friday I might have gone to the States because I would have liked to have been ringside. Manny is the man to beat at the moment, and it’s either him or Floyd Mayweather who is the pound-for-pound number one. Pacquiao’s not unbeatable. He’s been beaten before, but it will take a special fighter to beat him right now. Obviously I need more fights before I face him, but if the fight did happen, I’d be excited at the opportunity rather than worried about the result.”
“I can see a scenario where Pacquiao gives up the title, and maybe me and Cotto get it on for the vacant belt. If that’s the case then bring it on. I grew up in an era where Ricky Hatton was constantly chasing a big fight against Kosyta Tszyu. It made me realise that you have got to be patient and make sure you pick your moment, but I’m growing in confidence with every fight.”
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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