Just a quick note. Kell Brooks previous opponent and supposed best win to date Krzysztof Bienias was out last night and could only could get a MD against a fighter who has a 2-15 record and that was in his home town. Damn that is embarrasing shows once again how far Kell still has till he reaches world class.
His opposition in winning the Londsale belt are nothing short of atrocious considering the standing of the belt. Only one of his opponents was a legit top 5 Welterweight in the UK and he has been beaten 5 times before and 1 since and is well known for being quite chinny so not exactly a beast. And beyond that his only decent victory was against Michael Lomas who himself isn't in the top 10 and Barrie Jones and Elwell for me aren't even in the top 15. The BBBofC shouldn't have sanctioned Stewart Elwell to fight for the British Title. I find it funny that they want him to fight for a world title by the end of the year when he hasn't faced a genuine top 50 fighter that is either an experienced gate keeper or a decent prospect.
Exactly. Probably worse than Billy Boyle being put in with Cleverly. He's got a Lonsdale for keeps with the weakest opposition I can think of. Strike did a piece on the KO percentages of his opposition, McIntyre is the biggest puncher he'd faced, well below 50%. The top 50 could probably be extended to top 100 - a selection of glass jawed area level fighters. He's got talent but **** me he's going to get whupped in a world title fight... without the experience of competing at a decent level.
At least Cleverly-Boyle was a late replacement so there is an excuse there. But Elwell was a horrible opponent probably not even top 20. To be fair I would say Bienias and McIntyre are at least top 100 but I agree he still has a lot to prove before he steps up to world class and I'm sure Frank Warren knows this.
I remember seeing Brook get dropped by Karl David on a Millennium stadium undercard (cant remember which one) so there are defo question marks over his chin. I'd also say considering David was a light middle thats the most dangerous fighter he has faced. The Bienes fight was a WBO eliminator also which tells us all you need to know about that mickey mouse sanctioning body. I doubt a fighter has ever won a Lonsdale belt outright and been on the verge of a world title shot having faced such mediocre opposition in the history of the sport. I rate Brook and reckon Franks over protecting of him has/will stunt his development, Frank gets it spot on sometimes ala Clev who is being moved perfectly but, Brook is gonna find himself in deep **** when he faces world class oppponents with the career he's had.
:deal For me he doesn't seem to feel like a fighter that has momentum that is steamrolling to the top and that is despite winning all 5 of his fights since entering "championship class" by dominant KO. In 2 years he has had just 5 fights that isn't enough at this stage of his career and his opponents also haven't been good enough. If he had faced and beaten the likes of Young Mutley, Michael Jennings, John O'Donnell, Craig Watson, Matthew Hatton (only recently obviously), Ali Nuumbebme in the same fashion that he beat the likes of Elwell, Bienias, Lomax and Jones then I would be getting excited but he hasn't he faced the B side of British and WBO ranked talent. He needs to get active and take 3/4 fights before going onto that next level.
I think a problem with the division here is that a lot of them are much of a muchness, barring Brook and Jennings. None of them can bang much, they're all boxer types really. Looking further afield into Europe there's Aydin and Senchenko, both can punch a bit - too hard for Frank's liking..... and at world level the division is packed to the rafters with top quality fighters. I think Warren will hold him back as long as is realistically possible - but he needs to start putting fighters in with a wider mix of styles. How many of his fighters have to lose in world title fights because of a lack of experience against quality opposition before he changes his ''no punchers/brawlers/pressure fighters'' policy? The whole idea of being a world champion is being world class and beating world class fighters - not shortcutting to the #1 slot and waiting for some chump to score an upset victory and offering them a payday against whoever - Brook, Cleverly etc.
Exactly that's the one thing that worries me about the way FW brings his fighters along. Top Rank throw their prospects in with numerous styles so that they can learn adapt and become stronger FW doesn't and that isn't good for his fighters. I'm not saying he should throw them in with a beast and tell them to swim before they learnt but hell it would be good if he would at least let them dip their foot in.
Craig Watson can give the boy Brook something to think about, would be a perfect learning opponent being a southpaw. Frank is getting it all wrong with Kell unfortunately