Kell Brook says defeat by Errol Spence Jr caused physical and mental pain
- Published
Kell Brook was stopped by Errol Spence Jr in the 11th round last May
Kell Brook will return to the ring "like a Terminator" after suffering "very hard" lows following his defeat by American Errol Spence Jr last May.
The Sheffield fighter, 31, faces Sergey Rabchenko in his hometown on 3 March, nine months after surgery on a second fractured eye socket in two years.
Brook told BBC Sport the injury left him in a "very bad" place mentally.
"I've overcome it. I'm around people who love me. I'm in the gym with great talent pushing one another," he said.
"I've been going away to Fuerteventura - plenty of air, plenty of water, beautiful food, letting endorphins off after training - and now I feel fantastic.
"Losing in my home town of Sheffield, it upset me really badly. You have to brush yourself down to continue boxing, get passion and love for it again."
The surgery Brook had on his left eye came nine months after an operation to repair the same injury to his other eye, sustained when he jumped two weight divisions and lost to Gennady Golovkin at middleweight.
He moved back down to welterweight and lost his IBF world title against Spence, but says since returning to sparring he has been able to overcome doubts as to whether the repaired bones can withstand punches.
"Golovkin and Errol Spence are no dumplings, but even losing to those guys is hard to take," he said.
"I've had X-rays on both eyes, the bone has grown back and I have plates over each one, so I'm like a Terminator now and ready to walk through walls."
Brook will now compete at light-middleweight - ending the need for an intense weight cut at welterweight - and says facing fellow Briton Amir Khan would create "excitement".
Both fighters are promoted by Matchroom Boxing, and Brook says the only thing which could prevent a contest this year is "Khan and his team".
He added: "I'm an ex-world champion, same pedigree as Khan. I'm not going to be fed crumbs."
- Published18 February 2018
- Published22 December 2018
