By Edward Chaykovsky
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, who handle IBF welterweight world champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25KOs), has revealed that he reached out to Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, to discuss the possibility of a unification with WBO world champion Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38KOs).
Last Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Pacquiao snapped a seven-month layoff to capture the WBO belt with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jessie Vargas.
Vargas was initially scheduled to unify with IBF world champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25KOs) in September. Brook walked away from the fight to accept a more lucrative opportunity against WBA/WBC/IBF/IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin.
Brook - who currently owes a mandatory defense to Errol Spence - would love to unify with Pacquiao. Brook is still recovering from a fractured orbital bone that was suffered in the loss to Golovkin.
"I'd love that [fight]. I heard that I inspired him during the Golovkin fight and it makes sense for us to unify the division at welterweight," Brook told Sky Sports. "I am just excited and privileged I am a champion amongst those names in the welterweight division, my name and profile has risen quite highly after the Golovkin fight. I am looking forward to training hard and hopefully a big massive name will come along again."
Hearn is on board with the fight as well, but it's going to be really hard to make with the IBF's order looming over Brook's head and the IBF is well known for not budging away from their mandatory defense orders or approving step-aside deals.
Hearn said to Daily Mail: "I thought at times that his next move might be to light-middleweight but he has been quite firm that after spending so much effort winning the IBF welterweight belt that he will not let it go without a fight.
"He would love a unification fight with Manny Pacquiao, who holds the WBO belt. I have reached out to Bob Arum at Top Rank and they know we are keen. He knows we are here and that it would make a great fight. Another mouth-watering fight is Errol Spence. I want to get Kell out again in March so we’ll see."
