Not only has Kell Brook returned to the ring but advertising a version he claims to which the boxing public has yet to bear witness.
The former welterweight titlist fights for the first time in 14 months as he faces Massachusetts’ Mark ‘Bazooka’ DeLuca (24-1, 13KOs) this Saturday in his hometown of Sheffield, England. The bout takes place at the Sheffield Arena, where Brook has performed eight times before including his most recent start which he insists was reflective of the old version he has since left in the rearview mirror.
“That fire in the belly... it's there like it's never been before,” Brook (38-2, 26KOs) insisted during Thursday’s final pre-fight press conference. “I've had a year out and I've found myself. I wish I would have found myself 10 years ago because this version of me... I just want to thank the Almighty because something spiritual has come over me.
“There's no man who can now stop me. No disrespect to Mark DeLuca but it could absolutely be any man up in there with me Saturday night and he's getting beat. I'm at a place I've never been before and I'm flying (high). I'm absolutely flying (high).”
It comes in stark contrast to his last outing, where he appeared to go through the motions in a 10-round win over Australia’s Michael Zerafa in December 2018. Heading into the event, it was believed that a win would land the former welterweight titlist a long coveted domestic superfight with heated rival Amir Khan. The fight never materialized, with Khan going on to face Terence Crawford last April while Brook opted to sit out all of 2019 while eying his next move.
The extended downtime allowed for self-reflection which he claims to be vital in extending his career.
“I've always cut corners in every fight,” noted Brook, who will fight at the junior middleweight limit for the third straight time. “I won't like to leave the game without giving it my 100% all. Just knowing myself to give it my all and that's all that I can give.
“I want more.”
Brook has enjoyed more than most other fighters can claim, having won a welterweight belt in a spirited August 2016 decision over Shawn Porter. Three successful defenses came before an ill-advised move to middleweight, where he was halted in six rounds by then-unbeaten middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin in September 2016. Eight months later came the end of his title reign, where he was competitive with Errol Spence for much of the night before falling apart late in suffering an 11th round stoppage along with a broken orbital bone along the way.
Saturday will mark just his third since then, though as he creeps up on his 34th birthday comes the realization that he has reached the now-or-never stage of his career.
“It's not just about getting the win and scraping through,” acknowledges Brook. “I need to look sensational. If I'm the Special One and I want to be a two-time world champion, I've got to take care of Deluca.
“Sheffield is known for The Crucible (Host of the World Snooker Championships). Well, I'm gonna snooker Bazooka.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox