Tempers flared between Kell Brook and Errol Spence Jr at Bramall Lane when they came face to face two weeks ago ahead of their May 27 IBF world welterweight title fight.
Brook and Spence attended a press conference at the ground, the home of former's beloved Sheffield United, where the venue and date for the bout was formally announced and the pair ended up throwing threats and insults at each other.
The contest will see Brook returning to welterweight for the fourth defence of his IBF title after being defeated, via a fifth-round stoppage, by middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in September.
Brook, whose loss to Golovkin was the first defeat of his career, described himself as the "southpaw slayer" and as he pointed at Spence. Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) and Spence (21-0, 18 KOs) then continued to exchange words as they posed for head to head photos.
Brook has endured struggles in the past to make the welterweight limit, and says his team have been advising him to fight at a higher weight.
But he did not want to vacate the world title he won 2014, and is vowing to follow up a victory over rising star Spence by unifying the welterweight division.
“It doesn’t faze me fighting here in front of 30,000 people, all rooting for him,” Spence said. “I’ve been over here three times as an amateur. But obviously it’s going to be totally different as a professional. It doesn’t faze me fighting here in front of 30,000 people, all rooting for him. This is a fight I’ve been wanting and waiting for a long, long time."
“This is a fight I’ve been wanting and waiting for a long, long time. It’s a lifelong dream of mine to finally get my opportunity and I’m coming to get that title. I feel like I’m the better fighter. I want to take the title from the champion, to become a true champion.
“I believe in my skills. I hit hard, I’m a big welterweight, I’m strong and I’m fast. I’ve sparred with some of the best like (Floyd) Mayweather and (Shawn) Porter. I’ve gone toe to toe with all of them and I believe in my ability.”
