The welterweight division is loaded with top fighters. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, of course, sit at the top of the division and they are set to finally meet in the big one on May 2.
But there are other talented fighters, including titleholder Kell Brook, who, naturally, would love a shot at the winner of Mayweather-Pacquiao to unify the four major titles. The Mayweather-Pacquiao winner will emerge with three belts and Brook holds the other major one in the division.
To have a prayer at getting that long shot, however, Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) first will need to retain the belt when he makes his first defense against Montreal’s Jo Jo Dan (34-2, 18 KOs) on Saturday (Showtime, 6:15 p.m. ET) at the Motorpoint Arena his hometown of Sheffield, England.
“As a fan it's amazing that fight has been made,” Brook said of Mayweather-Pacquiao, which he plans to attend. “We needed to see it and I can't wait. It's up there with the huge fights of the past. People consider them to be the best and they are going to settle it on May 2.
“I would love a unification with the winner. I think Floyd will win. Manny would have given him more problems a few years ago but I would have still chosen Floyd then, too. He is very smart, he can control the pace of a fight and he's in Vegas [his hometown], so it all sways to him, and being undefeated makes him feel unbeatable. Manny has lost and knows the feeling. They will both go through the mill in training but Floyd has the edge.
“Everyone has wanted to see Floyd take on Manny and it will cement his legacy -- but only if he stays away from me. You can argue that he will be up there with the legends of the sport if he wins and stays unbeaten. He is there alongside Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, and so on; you have to put him up there.”
The other big fight for Brook would be one that has been talked about for years against countryman Amir Khan, a former unified junior welterweight titlist, who cemented his status as a top welterweight contender with a near-shutout of former titleholder Devon Alexander in December.
“I am at the stage now that I need big fights to get me excited,” Brook said. “I am always pushing myself in the gym and I am always competitive in the gym, but fights with the likes of Khan really motivate me and put a spring in my step to get in the gym and push on.
“The precedent has been set [for big British showdowns] with [Carl] Froch and [George] Groves fighting at Wembley, Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton are looking likely to fight, and so should me and Amir. I want to please the fans and I am sure Khan does, so I want to make the fight happen. He needs to fight a genuine big welterweight and that's me.”