Kell Brook v Gennady Golovkin: Englishman can gain shock win - Tony Bellew

  • Published
Kell BrookImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Kell Brook (left) has won all 36 of his professional bouts, with 25 of those coming inside the distance

Great Britain's Kell Brook will show devastating power against middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, says WBC cruiserweight title holder Tony Bellew.

Brook, 30, is the IBF welterweight champion but will move up two weight divisions to fight for Golovkin's WBA, WBC and IBF world middleweight titles.

The two unbeaten fighters will meet in London on 10 September and Brook can cause an upset, according to Bellew.

"Kell Brook at 11 stone will be an absolute wrecking machine," he said.

"A lot of people are scared of Golovkin's power but Brook's stepped up and should only be commended.

"Do not write him off. These are two men who can land big punches and it can end at any time but Kell Brook is a serious athlete and deserves massive credit for taking this fight."

Brook's decision to fight Golovkin comes after another British welterweight, Amir Khan, moved up two weights in May to take on Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, with the Mexican winning with a sixth-round knockout.

"Everyone showed respect to Khan when he stepped up to face Canelo," added Bellew in an interview with BBC Sport.

"Brook should receive the same recognition for taking on the most feared middleweight anyone has seen since Marvin Hagler."

Head to head

Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin

Name

Kell 'The Special One' Brook

Karaganda, Kazakhstan, 8 April 1982

Born

Sheffield, UK, 3 May 1986

6 May 2006

Turned pro

17 September 2004

WBA, WBC & IBF middleweight

Current titles

IBF welterweight

35 fights, 35 wins (32 KOs)

Pro record

36 fights, 36 wins (25 KOs)

Golovkin, who comes from Kazakhstan but lives in the USA, is regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer following the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2015.

Golovkin has won all 35 of his professional fights, including 32 knockouts, while Brook is unbeaten in 36 contests.

David Coldwell, Brook's former trainer, said this fight will be the pinnacle of the Sheffield fighter's career.

"Kell always dreamed of the big fights and was saying stuff like 'one day, I want to fight Floyd Mayweather'. It's always been his dream to fight elite level fighters - now he's stepping up against Golovkin - the baddest man on the planet.

"But at 11 stone, Kell can smash anybody up. It's a tough ask against Golovkin but Kell can do damage at that weight."

Brook's opportunity comes after British middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr said he wanted a fight with Golovkin, but a bout could not be agreed between the pair.

"You can't plan opportunities like this," added Coldwell. "Nobody can take this away from Kell.

"Anybody who beats Golovkin has beaten the king of boxing but to step up a couple of weights to do that is a serious achievement."

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.