Kell Brook (34-0, 23 KOs) takes on fellow rival Brit Frankie Gavin (22-1 13 KOs) in a bid to defend his welterweight IBF world title at the O2 arena on Saturday evening.
The fight, which is headlining the packed Matchroom Boxing “Rule Britannia” card, will see Brook strive to defend his title for a second time in two months after coming off the back of a destructive fourth-round knockout of Jo Jo Dan.
It’s a matchup that was for many, unexpected, and has drawn substantial criticism from the British fight fans who believe it’s one where the champion will steamroll through the challenger within the first half of the fight. After mentioning fights such as Juan Manuel Marquez, Marcos Maidana and Keith Thurman it’s not surprising that many were disappointed to here Gavin’s name announced as the next challenger to try and dethrone Brook.
But a routine victory over Gavin would surely mean a high profile fight for the Sheffield star later on the year, before a possible mouthwatering contest with Amir Khan in 2016.
The champion has suffered a whirlwind last 10 months, having experienced the exuberance of taking the IBF strap off Shawn Porter 33 fights into his career, but being stabbed in the leg in Tenerife just a month later, fearing that he would never walk again.
But a Sheffield homecoming at a sold out Motorpoint Arena in his last outing was the perfect way to put personal tribulations behind him, and he looks brimming with confidence going into this fight with Gavin.
Many U.S. viewers will have seen Brook earn a majority decision win over Shawn Porter in late 2014, but subsequently won’t be acquainted with his challenger. Gavin has a reputation for being a slick, sharp and competent southpaw who was building momentum, until his split decision defeat to the well travelled Leonard Bundu in August 2014.
Since then, his career has revolved around rebuilding a loss of confidence, and three fights in six months, which involved a second-round TKO victory over journeyman Mate Hornyak, a unanimous decision win against the highly tipped Briton Bradley Skeet, and a complete 10-round shutout over Bogdan Mitic seems to have done the job.
However, there is still that gulf in class between the two which can’t be ignored, and a victory for Gavin would send ripples through the division.
Tale of the Tape
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The fighters are stylistically poles apart. Kell Brook will want to dictate the fight in the middle of the ring whilst teeing off with those combinations, where as Frankie Gavin is a counter puncher, punishing opponents when they miss.
Styles make fights, but Gavin has to use his awkwardness to frustrate and dishearten Brook, and employing a negative style that if is effective will frustrate viewers at ring side and at home.
Similarity in the rounds boxed department are deceiving, considering the caliber of fighters that Brook has faced compared to Gavin, and this could be a telling factor of the fight.
Small differences in height and reach advantage will mean they will not prove a decisive factor in the outcome of the fight.
Strengths for Each Fighter
Kell Brook
Photo by Lawrence Lustig
Kell Brook has a stiff jab, and a beautifully timed right hand counter which is in keeping with his pinpoint accuracy. He will look to size up Frankie Gavin in the early rounds before overwhelming him with punishing combinations.
In fights against Vyascheslav Senchenko, and the rematch against Carson Jones, he showed killer instinct, and he will want to produce another spectacular finish on Saturday evening to hit back at any critics that still remain. Brook will win the fight if he can find his range, connect with the jab and land those accurate shots.
Frankie Gavin
Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images
What has to be established is that Gavin is by no means an unskilled fighter. In 2007, he became Britain’s first amateur world champion, and with an amateur pedigree comes a quick, solid jab, and good head movement.
If Gavin is to triumph he will have to be exceptionally tricky and illusive if he wants to evade the accuracy of Brook, and if he can do this and get into a rhythm of controlling the pace he is capable of coming through with a close points victory.
Weaknesses for Each Fighter
Kell Brook
Photo by Esther Lin
There aren’t many weaknesses in the armoury of Kell Brook, as his unbeaten record suggests. Concerns about his stamina that originated from his first encounter with Carson Jones, where he seemed to fade in the later rounds, were put to bed after going the distance with the rough and tough Shawn Porter.
However, he does have a tendency to raise his head when throwing the right hand counter. But whether Frankie Gavin has the power and spite in his punches to take advantage of this remains to be seen.
Frankie Gavin
Action Images
Frankie Gavin’s weaknesses are exceptionally damaging to his chances of winning. A distinct lack of power, and the omission of hard combinations means he will fail to gain the respect of Kell Brook.
He hasn’t faced anyone of the champions caliber either, and a defeat to gatekeeper Leonard Bundu doesn’t bode well when you’re about to clash with a world class opponent, so it’s simply a case of rising to the occasion for Gavin.
Prediction
Photo by Esther Lin
As much as I like Frankie Gavin, and am willing him on to cause an unbelievable upset, all the indicators point to a convincing victory for the champion. Kell Brook’s power, technical ability and level of opposition all exceeds Gavin’s.
A win for Gavin would glorify the unexpected nature of the fight game, and in essence you would have to compare it to Badou Jack’s recent underdog victory over Anthony Dirrell, in that it is not at all expected, but nonetheless not impossible.
However, Gavin will have to showcase something he hasn’t been able to demonstrate in previous bouts. He doesn’t have the slickness to emulate the likes of fellow welterweight great Floyd Mayweather, and you can’t develop frightening punching power in two months. It’s more realistic that he will use movement and good ring generalship to try and frustrate Brook, popping off counters, holding and snatching rounds were he can.
Expect a couple of awkward early rounds, were Brook will look to find the range with his stiff jab. But it’s inevitable that Brook’s pinpoint accuracy will shine through in the middle rounds, with flurries off hard combinations reigning down on the Birmingham fighter.
After grinding down the challenger, the referee will step in around the seventh or eighth, but don’t be surprised to see Brook sail through with a comfortable unanimous points victory.
