Kell Brook v Errol Spence Jr - 27/5/17 Sheffield UK

[Fenster]

I see a lot of people optimistically comparing this with the Calzaghe-Lacy lark (especially Kell's mob). But I see it more as a Crawford-Burns/Bradley-Witter.

Even ignoring the weight issue for Brook, Spence looks equally as talented at the very least.

[erics44]

nah, burns and witter were soundly beaten by Bradley and Crawford

There's no way its going to happen, Kel is far too slick

Witter had a shit style and looked bad in a few fights before Bradley and burns is world class but at the same time he an upright brawler type, and his toughness and engine gets him wins

Spence has a good style but so has Kel

[Primo Carnera]

I was gonna save my prediction till it was made official, but I can't see it not happening now. It's a great matchup , very much a 50/50 fight. But I'm gonna go with the Champion , who should be at his peak and in his own back yard. Brook won't lose a points decision, and I don't see Spence getting him out of there.
I hold Spence in very high regard and a lesser champion, he may well have wiped the floor with. But Brook is no mug and I could see him beating any current WW.
I hope if Brook does win, he is given the respect he deserves Stateside, because this is no ordinary up and coming fighter, in the US he is regarded as the new Golden Boy.
for someone who slags off PPV's in the UK, I have to say I am definitely paying for this one.
Finally , people are saying that both fighters should be given credit for taking the fight. I don't go along with that. Both fighters are doing what they should do. The Champion is defending against his mandatory as he should , and the Challenger is coming over to the Champion's Country to challenge for the title. That's exactly how it should work. The only reason we are all giving them credit is because most Champions don't do it, which is a fucking disgrace if you ask me.
Bring it on I say!

[smashup]

The only reason this fight is happening is because Amir Khan priced himself out of the fight Brook really wants

Spence himself nails it here -

Errol Spence Jr claims Kell Brook tried to avoid IBF title defence | Boxing News | Sky Sports

[Batman]

I was tipping Brook to win this probably easier than most were but I was basing that on thinking that Brook was quite a bit bigger than Spence Jr, I had a check earlier though and I was shocked to see that Spence is actually taller and has a longer reach than Brook does.

back down to 50/50 for me

[Primo Carnera]

The only reason this fight is happening is because Amir Khan priced himself out of the fight Brook really wants

Spence himself nails it here -

Errol Spence Jr claims Kell Brook tried to avoid IBF title defence | Boxing News | Sky Sports

That is a may be. But that's because Khan was more money and easier.
Don't let that fool you into thinking he's scared.
He could've have gone up a weight and maybe made decent cash, as his promoter wanted. But he's decided to take this.
Like I said earlier, I don't give him credit for that , it's what should happen and fortunately for us, it is happening.

[smashup]

The only reason this fight is happening is because Amir Khan priced himself out of the fight Brook really wants

Spence himself nails it here -

Errol Spence Jr claims Kell Brook tried to avoid IBF title defence | Boxing News | Sky Sports

That is a may be. But that's because Khan was more money and easier.
Don't let that fool you into thinking he's scared.
He could've have gone up a weight and maybe made decent cash, as his promoter wanted. But he's decided to take this.
Like I said earlier, I don't give him credit for that , it's what should happen and fortunately for us, it is happening.

I don't think for a second that Brook is scared, he took on GGG at Middleweight

[Fenster]

From that article it sounds like Spence is gutted Brook didn't vacate the title for him. Shitting it.

[Primo Carnera]

The same as I don't think Brook is shitting it, I don't think Spence is.
Ok, sometimes you get to win a World title a bit easier, but hey it should be hard. After all, you get to call yourself Champion of the WORLD!
It's how it should be.

[smashup]

I can't believe for a second Brook would or should fear any fighter after getting in with Golovkin and managing to back him up a few times, bloody his nose and visibly mark him up.... (How many genuine Middleweights have done that to GGG)

Brooks proved beyond any doubt he's hard as nails but he's 31 soon and it'd be such a waste if he didn't take this fight, he needs to fight names non stop from now on and make himself a proper legacy.

This is a 50-50 fight on paper all day long, Spence has arguably been in with as good a Welterweight as Brook and his KO ratio is a massive 86% to Brooks 68%.

Brook narrowly beat Porter and at 147 got the fight of his life against Carson Jones.

Good fighters but by no means the top guys in the division, Spence has fought at a similar level in Bundu and Algieri but smashed them to bits in the process.

These two are gonna go for it and this has got the ingredients to be fight of the year.

I just think Spence's speed might be too much for Brook if it goes past 7-8 rounds

[Silkeyjoe]

I think Spence will make a show of Brook. But hey at least he has Khan to fall back on for another pay day.

[imp]

I can't believe for a second Brook would or should fear any fighter after getting in with Golovkin and managing to back him up a few times, bloody his nose and visibly mark him up.... (How many genuine Middleweights have done that to GGG)

Brooks proved beyond any doubt he's hard as nails but he's 31 soon and it'd be such a waste if he didn't take this fight, he needs to fight names non stop from now on and make himself a proper legacy.

This is a 50-50 fight on paper all day long, Spence has arguably been in with as good a Welterweight as Brook and his KO ratio is a massive 86% to Brooks 68%.

Brook narrowly beat Porter and at 147 got the fight of his life against Carson Jones.

Good fighters but by no means the top guys in the division, Spence has fought at a similar level in Bundu and Algieri but smashed them to bits in the process.

These two are gonna go for it and this has got the ingredients to be fight of the year.

I just think Spence's speed might be too much for Brook if it goes past 7-8 rounds

Mmmm..I agree.

Spence has to really put Brook away unless he wants a biased decision against him.

How good is spence anyway?

We will all know after this fight.

[powerpuncher]

I honestly don't think it's a 50/50 fight. Before moving up to fight GGG, I think I was about 75-80% sure that Spence wins. Brook was already big for WW and having to gain all that weight then coming back down to 147 after not having to make it in a long time, I don't think Brook will be what he once was at that weight. I give Spence a 90% chance to win.

I would honestly be surprised if Brook won. That's how highly I think of Spence. From all of my years watching boxing (15 years), I've never been higher on an up and coming fighter as I have been of Spence. Brook is good, but Spence is so fast and is very skilled. He will break Brook by the mid rounds and Brook will just try to survive.

[Alpha]

I keep flipping back & forth. Brooks struggle with Jones. Spence isn't too hard to hit. Brook returning after the eye injury and the loss to GGG. Spence traveling. Will there be VADA testing? Such an intriguing fight with lots of different variables. EXCITED.

[Memphis]

I think the IBF go with the local commission on drug testing so UKAD/WADA testing.

Going up and down in weight rarely works out. Brook looked a bag of shit against Jones at 147 then looked the business at 152 or whatever it was for the return. He's clearly a better fighter a shade north of 147lbs. Brook used every ounce of the weight for the Golovkin fight, he was 176lbs a month out was it? Everyone went mental. I think despite doing things properly these days, making weight is going to kill him.