Kell Brook set to defend welterweight title vs. Errol Spence Jr. on May 27 in U.K.
Kell Brook will defend his IBF welterweight title against undefeated American Errol Spence Jr. in an outdoor football stadium in Sheffield, England on Saturday May 27.
The fight will be aired live in the U.S. by Showtime. The exact air time has not been set yet, but is expected to be early evening, likely around 6 p.m. ET.
Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) makes the fourth defense of the IBF belt he won against Shawn Porter in August 2014. He then defended the belt against Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier before stepping up two weight classes to middleweight to face champion Gennady Golovkin at The O2 in September, but did not vacate his welterweight title.
Brook's corner threw in the towel in the fifth round after the fighter suffered a fractured right eye socket.
"He's being hyped in the U.S., but we've seen it before," Brook said of Spence. "He beat (Chris) Algieri and (Leonard) Bundu, but he's never fought an animal like me. I want to beat Spence and wipe out the rest of the division. If this guy is the next big thing then the fans will be in for a thrilling night because I am going to bring the heat."
Spence (21-0, 18 KOs) became the mandatory challenger for Brook's belt when he stopped Leonard Bundu inside six rounds in August, the eighth consecutive stoppage for the Texan who was born on Long Island, N.Y. Spence destroyed former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri two months earlier, knocking him down three times en route to a fifth-round TKO.
"This is the fight I've waited for a long time for, to fulfill a lifelong opportunity to win a world title," Spence said. "Kell is a good fighter, but I feel I'm the best 147 in the world and I'll prove it.
"I want to take the title from a champion, and a true champion like Kell, and doing it in his backyard like he did it is the best way to show I am the best."
The fight will take place at Bramall Lane, home of the Sheffield United Football Club.
"Thirty-thousand Brits? Bring it on," Spence said. "I've been here many times and I love it here. It'll be different as a pro, but these are the stages you dream of."
Brook, who was born and raised and still resides in Sheffield, said it's always been his dream to fight in his hometown stadium.
"This is amazing - my uncle would bring me here when I was 6 and now I am fighting here as world champion. I'm so happy," he said. "There was no way I was going to vacate, it's taken a long time to get this title and it was hard to become world champion and when people were saying to move up it made me dig my heels in."
Brook's promoter Eddie Hearn called it one of the best fights to be made in world boxing.
"Many believed that Kell Brook would look to avoid Errol Spence but he is a proud man who never ducks a challenge," Hearn said. "Coming off the fight with GGG this is an extremely tough fight to come back to but I believe Kell Brook is the best welterweight in the world and he will have the chance to prove it on May 27. We are planning an unforgettable night."
(Photo of Kell Brook and Errol Spence during their press conference by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)