By Jake Donovan
Until he actually stepped into the ring, Kell Brook wasn’t entirely sure he would ever fight again. Now that he’s back, though, he knows exactly whom he would like for his next ring appearance.
The unbeaten welterweight looked spectacular in dismantling Jo Jo Dan, flooring the mandatory challenger four times en route to a referee stoppage after four rounds. The performance took place in front of a raucous hometown crowd at Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England.
It was the first fight back for Brook (34-0, 23KOs) since winning a welterweight belt from Shawn Porter last summer. Plans for his first defense were considerably delayed after suffering a machete attack while on holiday in Tenerife last September.
With ring rust and his mandatory challenger now out of the way, Brook eyes his next fight.
“I've been out for a while for a time with my legs,” Brook noted of his performance. “This was a chance to knock cobwebs off and then come back in June with a massive fight.”
“Who does everyone want me to fight?” Brook rhetorically asked the crowd. “Amir Khan? (Juan Manuel) Marquez? Brandon Rios. I’m ready.”
While options were listed, it’s clear whom he and his team want and when. There are plenty of lucrative options in the welterweight division, but the line to face Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is long enough to where a lot of fighters will be left disappointed and blue in the face holding their collective breath waiting on such a fight to materialize.
Brook and his team are a bit more realistic.
“There’s a big date and venue available, June 13,” promoter Eddie Hearn noted before getting specific. “If Amir Khan is watching, give everyone what they want.”
The sentiment was echoed by his unbeaten fighter, who has been anxious for a massive all-Brit showdown for as long as both have been relevant welterweights.
“Amir Khan if you're watching, come in here and get in with me,” demanded Brook.
Khan is coming off of a big win over Devon Alexander last December.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
