Kell Brook will challenge Devon Alexander for the IBF welterweight title at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on May 18, live on Sky Sports in the UK, and Showtime in the US.
The long-awaited clash between Brook and Alexander has been cancelled twice due to both men succumbing to training injuries, but now ‘The Special One’ from Sheffield and number one rated contender finally gets the chance to face the champion, and he’s determined to rip the title from his hands.
“It’s been a frustrating wait for the fight to be on, but now I’m ready to get in there on May 18 and bring that title home,” said Brook. “We’ve both had to pull out through injury so we are both hungry for the fight, but I believe I will prove I’ve got a bigger appetite for the battle and that I’ll be too good for him.”
St. Louis’ Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KO’s) has already won world titles in two divisions despite being only 25 years old. Alexander is the former IBF and WBC world title holder at 140 pounds, with wins over Lucas Matthysse, Juan Urango and Junior Witter to his name. In 2012, ‘The Great’ made his move to welterweight and by the time he was finished defeating former World Champions Marcos Maidana and Randall Bailey, he was crowned the IBF Welterweight World Champion. The clash with Brook will be Alexander’s first defence of his IBF crown.
Brook’s showdown with Alexander comes on a bumper night of boxing live on Sky Sports, starting with the 30th edition of the Betfair Prizefighter, with the Cruiserweights taking centre-stage at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, the line-up to be announced shortly. The action then heads stateside with Brook vs. Alexander and IBF light welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson facing hard-hitting WBC Interim light welterweight World Champion Lucas Matthysse in a 12-round welterweight bout.
Peterson vs. Matthysse and Alexander vs. Brook are presented by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and will air live on SHOWTIME at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
