Kell Brook Reveals the Fight That Haunts Him Most: ‘I Was Less Than 30%’

Kell Brook believes he could have finished his boxing career with one fewer defeat under different circumstances.

The former world champion won the IBF welterweight title in 2014, defeating Shawn Porter via majority decision on foreign soil.

After successfully defending his title three times, the Sheffield native moved up to middleweight for an ambitious attempt at Gennady Golovkin’s unified middleweight crown.

While Brook showed competitiveness in the early rounds, he ultimately suffered a fractured eye socket and was stopped by his corner in the fifth round.

Nearly eight months later in 2017, the skilled technician dropped back down to 147lbs for a mandatory title defense against Errol Spence Jr.

By his own admission, this move was questionable given the physical toll his training camp had already taken following an unsuccessful campaign at 160lbs.

Despite the risks, ‘Special K’ faced Spence, who was trailing on the scorecards but ultimately stopped Brook in the eleventh round after another fractured eye socket injury.

Recalling the bout at Sheffield’s Bramall Lane, Brook told Boxing King Media that the painful experience still lingers.

“That’s the fight that really haunts me the most. I was less than 30% in that fight. Having just fought Golovkin prior – ballooning up in weight, moving to middleweight… I could go on.

I know I would have beaten [Spence at my best]. Even when I was at below 30% capability, I was doing well. That fight was purely about making weight. It was so difficult. The food was minimal. It was just brutal, but that’s what happened in my career.”

Following a third loss – a fourth-round stoppage against Terence Crawford in 2020 – Brook closed his career with a sixth-round victory over Amir Khan.

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