Talk of a potential return to the ring for former welterweight world champion Kell Brook has gained serious traction over the past week, with a bout against Chris Eubank Jr rumoured to be in advanced negotiations.
Brook has not boxed since April 2022, when he dispatched of long time rival Amir Khan inside six rounds at the Manchester Arena – a night that Carl Froch and other ringside pundits envisaged being his last.
Now 37, there has been a mixed reception at best to the idea of ‘The Special One’ stepping between the ropes again, particularly if it is to be at middleweight against the younger, fresher Eubank Jr.
Froch has weighed in with his two cents – and has advised Brook to stay retired.
Speaking via Lord Ping, Froch told the Sheffield favourite – “Don’t entertain it.”
“Kell Brook needs to leave it. He’s been out of the ring too long now.
“He had his last hurrah against Amir Khan, he had that big payday, a big night under the lights, that was his testimonial fight.
“He needs to stay retired, don’t entertain it. It’s too hard of a sport to come back after the lay off he’s had.
“He needs to find something else in retirement.”
Brook has also been linked to a fight at welterweight with Conor Benn over the past 18 months, though with Benn still without a British Boxing Board of Control license, this looks to have been put on the back burner.
The Ingle gym charge was ringside at Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer in Liverpool this past weekend, and admitted to attending press that there is a chance of him making a comeback.
Kell Brook asked if he could come out of retirement to fight Chris Eubank Jr next: “Yeah, he’s the one getting talked about the most. I don’t like the guy, it’s a fight that I can get out of bed for, get out of them silk sheets. I’m training. We can make it happen.” [@talkSPORT]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) January 20, 2024
One of Britain’s best fighters in his day, Brook shared the ring with the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence.
Many feel the Golovkin bout, which saw him jump up two weight classes to 160lbs, was his undoing. Brook was stopped inside five rounds and suffered a broken orbital bone which required surgery.
