Britain’s Kell Brook tackles Shawn Porter for the Ohio man’s IBF world crown this Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, and you can watch all the action live on Sky Sports.
‘The Special One’ can become the latest British world champion as he takes on Porter out on the west coast in what could be a career-defining fight against one of the sport’s rising stars, and dethroning the champion in his own back yard would burst him onto the coveted American scene.
Brook has seen several world titles fail to come to fruition over the last two years, but now he finally gets the chance to join the Wincobank winners and the small band of British fighters flying the flag in the United States.
First of all he needs to overcome Shawn Porter, one of America’s new breed of up-coming starts, who took the IBF belt from Devon Alexander, then defended it in style against Paulie Malignaggi, hitting the headlines in the process.
In comparison, Sheffield-born Brook has worked his way up, and stayed, to the position of mandatory challenger for the world title, telling his fans he can move up a gear or two when and if he needs to and many are expecting this to bring the best out of him.
Both fighters are unbeaten, Brook can box and punch with precision while Porter piles on the pressure and puts the opponent on the back foot, and says Kell won’t be able to cope.
Winning a world title in America is a major achievement, so will Brook put his name up in lights come Saturday night.
Brook’s big chance headlines one of the biggest British boxing nights across the pond for the last few years.
In the super-middleweight world, WBC champion Sakio Bika once again takes on challenger Anthony Dirrell, with unfinished business between the two.
The pair met in December in what turned out to be a controversial draw and again the champion was the last to go looking for it, with Biko feeling he was robbed when he put Dirrell down late on only to see the challenger claim a low blow.
Not only would the knockdown have given Biko the win, but had he not had a point taken off for continual roughness, he would still have won and the WBO and he would have moved on.
Dirrell, the youngest brother of Andre, is unbeaten in 27 while Bika has been around since challenging none other than Joe Calzaghe nearly eight years ago.
There is bitterness but is there a passing of the baton? The winner could well defend against Britain’s own George Groves next.
The WBC world lightweight title is also up for grabs on the night as champion Omar Figueroa takes on champion Daniel Estrada, plus Britain’s Luke Campbell and Callum Smith continue their career ascents on a busy undercard.
Sky Sports will screen exclusively live coverage of this potentially historic night for British boxing stateside with three major title fights on a packed card in Carson, California.
Live coverage starts late on Saturday night, or early Sunday morning, at 2.00am on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD, with Sheffield’s Kell Brook the leading light in his world title shot against Shawn Porter, plus two of Britain’s brightest prospect also in action, as well as two other world title fights.
Ed Robinson presents Sky’s live coverage of all three world title bouts on the card, plus highlights of Luke Campbell and Callum Smith’s fights.
He will be joined in the studio by Kell Brook’s British rival Amir Khan and Ryan Rhodes, one of the Sheffield stars that came up through the Wincobank ranks.
Khan is, of course, a bitter foe in that division but says a title will make their inevitable showdown happen sooner rather than later, while Ryan Rhodes has known Brook since he was a youngster and has trained, sparred and grown up with him.
Big fight commentary from California comes from Nick Halling and Jim Watt.
Sky Sports’ boxing magazine show Ringside will build up to the big fight night on Thursday evening with a special preview show, featuring interviews with Kell Brook, trainer Dominic Ingle, promoter Eddie Hearn and Matthew Hatton, one of Brook’s former opponents.
Live coverage will also be available to watch online via Sky Go for Sky Sports subscribers only, while the Sky Sports boxing website will have all the latest news and features ahead of fight night..
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Thursday 14th August
Ringside: Kell Brook Special
6.00pm-7.00pm Sky Sports 1
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Saturday 16th August
Fight Night: Shawn Porter v Kell Brook
LIVE: 2.00am-5.00am (Sun) Sky Sports 2
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