KELL BROOK returned from a life-threatening stab-wound in emphatic fashion on Saturday night in Sheffield, wiping-out mandatory challenger ‘Jo Jo’ Dan in four one-sided rounds as he made the first defence of his IBF welterweight title at the Motorpoint Arena.
Brook (34-0, 23 KO’s), who after beating Shawn Porter to win his crown was attacked with a machete whilst on holiday in Tenerife less than a month later, chopped Dan (34-3, 18 KO’s) to pieces as he dropped the Romanian four times en-route to an inevitable corner retirement.
“It was amazing to be able to walk to the ring again and this is where I belong,” said the home favourite in front of an adoring audience in his home city. “It was hard to hold it together. I didn’t think I would box again, and I can’t put into words what it means to defend my title.”
It had been a long seven months since the Porter win had delivered the 28-year-old’s childhood dream and questions surrounded his mobility following the damage sustained to Brook’s left thigh during the attack. The unbeaten champion had been hit by depression; dark times as he feared he might never walk, let alone box again. But here on this special night in Sheffield, his homecoming, a partisan crowd produced an electric atmosphere. Brook must have felt invincible as he made his ring entrance, backed by the familiar melody of the Kanye West track “All of the Lights”.
And it was almost lights out for Dan in the opening stanza, who looked visibly shaken by the first right hand that Brook landed. In contrast to his opponent’s welcome, the southpaw challenger had walked into a bear pit, with 10,000 people baying for the Yorkshireman to spill his blood.
Brook would continue to land freely with his straight right and controlled the action with piston-like left jab, bagging the first round in comfortable fashion. There were no signs of any mobility or confidence issues on his return, which was a box ticked.
With the carrot of a potential summer showdown with Amir Khan on the horizon or even a clash with the winner of May’s megafight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, a headline-making performance was another box that the Brook camp wanted to check. As early as round two, it was on the cards.
Brook dropped Dan for the first time in the fight with a short uppercut that felled the 33-year-old visitor to his knees and before the round was out, had his man on the canvas again as a sharp right put him on the seat of his trunks. Dan somehow survived the round but look shell-shocked on his way back to the corner and from there the writing was on clearly on the wall.
It appeared as though Brook stepped of the gas a little in the third, but he was enjoying the occasion and by that point had established the gulf in class between the two fighters. For the best part of three minutes he was content to dominate whilst remaining in second gear, but a barrage at the end punctuated the round and reminded Dan of Brook’s power and athleticism.
The fourth round looked very much like the second; Brook landing his right hand at will and Dan having no answers. A sharp combination put the challenger down for the third time in the fight. It was late in the round, but then as the bell signalled the end of round four a left hook floored Dan heavily. He just managed to beat the count, referee Earl Brown giving Dan the benefit of the doubt despite the weary legs that attempted to betray him and before he took his stool, Dan started to walk back towards the wrong corner. He had no idea where he was.
It was no surprise then when the towel came in and the contest was ended before Dan could ship any more punishment; his experience of a world title challenge ending painfully and abruptly. Unfortunately for Dan, memories of this trip to the UK will not be fondly remembered as he now makes the long journey home to Canada.
For Brook, well as promoter Eddie Hearn remarked after the fight “the world is now his oyster”. As cliché as that sounds, it’s true. Brook is an unbeaten titleholder who appears to be hitting the peak of his powers and currently lays claim to be the world’s top welterweight outside of the ageing Mayweather and Pacquiao.
Brook’s next move? That will be a trip to Las Vegas on May 2nd for the aforementioned superfight, which also happens to be on Brook’s birthday weekend. What a twenty-ninth birthday present that will be if the winner states their intentions to fight Brook later this year.
Despite a fantastic night for Brook, the welterweight champion was saddened to hear the fortunes of his friend and fellow Sheffield native Adam Etches, who also fought on the card. The 24-year-old middleweight was brutally knocked out in the fourth round of his encounter with tough gatekeeper Sergey Khomitsky. In the process, Etches (18-1, 15 KO’s) suffered his first professional defeat.
Earlier on the night there were points wins for Frankie Gavin, Kal Yafai and Gavin McDonnell, whilst super featherweight Stephen Smith also kept busy with a six-round victory on the cards.
Southpaw Jack's 