All of the lights: Kell Brook to challenge Terence Crawford for world title
- Planet Sport writer
- 8 October 2020
Kell Brook is bidding to become a two-time welterweight champion when he takes on American titlist Terence Crawford in November.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has confirmed WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford will defend his crown against Britain's Kell Brook on November 14.
The showdown will take place on ESPN, with Arum refusing to stage the 147-pound battle on pay-per-view due to the ongoing pandemic.
The venue is yet to be decided but Las Vegas, Nevada, and Omaha, Nebraska, are the two locations in mind. Speaking about the decision, Arum said: "These networks have to understand how people are hurting, how many people in this country and in the U.K. are out of work because of this pandemic," Arum said.
"I think it's really immoral to require people to spend [more] money watching their favorite sport every week, every other week."
Crawford is preparing to take on the second Englishman of his career in Brook, having beat the Yorkshireman's bitter foe Amir Khan in 2019.
Despite suffering eye injuries in two of his biggest fights, Brook has a solid resume having gone toe-to-toe with Gennadiy Golovkin and current unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
"Special K" Brook is a former world champion himself having outpointed Shawn Porter in 2014 via split-decision.
However, since relinquishing his red belt to Spence, Brook's career has stagnated with his last three opponents being Sergey Rabchenki, Michael Zerafa and Mark DeLuca at 154-pounds.
"Bud" meanwhile, is undefeated from 36 bouts and is a three-division world champion with reigns at junior welterweight and lightweight. Both men have a point to prove. Brook is considered washed up while Crawford's last win was an underwhelming performance against Egidijus Kavaliauskas.
A UK broadcaster is yet to be decided after Eddie Hearn and Adam Smith decided not to pick it up for Sky Sports.
