KELL BROOK could fight Tim Bradley in early 2016, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
IBF champion Brook boxes Diego Chaves on October 24, while Tim Bradley, who holds the WBO welterweight crown, is set to meet Brandon Rios on November 7. But if Bradley can get by Rios and Brook defeats Chaves, as expected, the American is the big name Kell needs.
“To make the Bradley fight has to be a real clear canvas in terms of pay-per-view dates, planning. When we teamed up with [Wladmir] Klitschko-[Tyson] Fury it was an impossibility to get Bradley. But we could make it happen in February or March on a clear canvas. It will be big enough by then as well,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “He does have the mandatory to deal with [Kevin Bizier], which is not ideal but we can work around that. Kell wants big fights. He’s fighting very regularly, he’s earning a hell of a lot of money and now this [Diego Chaves] is the toughest fight of his career. This is a fight where I think he can make a statement in the US as well.
“Unless you think Kell is levels above Bradley, Rios, [Keith] Thurman, it has to be a tough because he [Chaves] has given them all tough fights. Unless you think Kell’s Floyd then it has to be a tough competitive fight.”
Similarly Scott Quigg may have to wait longer than hoped for Nonito Donaire. “To bring these guys over it’s very, very expensive. So you need the right model. We’re log-jammed towards the end of the year with big fights that are costing a lot of money. I hate to bore fans with the finances but sometimes those kind of fights take three or four months longer than we’d like to. What I’m talking about now is in 2016, in February, March, April, May we have a blank canvas,” Hearn said. “November 21 it’s not going to be possible to go out and do another pay-per-view. We’re still in talks with Donaire, as we’re still in talks with [Carl] Frampton.
“All avenues are still possible.”
He expects Brook to continue to fight in the UK but other Matchroom fighters could be heading Stateside. Jamie McDonnell, after defeating Tomoki Kameda, might continue to box in the US. New IBF super-middleweight James DeGale, who has signed with influential advisor Al Haymon, is likely to fight in America in mid November.
