There is little doubt that in this era of multiple title holders in each weight class, winning a world title has lost some of its impact. Being a world title holder is no longer synonymous with being the best in your division, while the differences between the multiple sanctioning bodies and the various interim, regular and super versions of title belts often leave casual observers blind to a fighter’s real standing. Even for those who follow the sport more closely, keeping track of the various title holders has become unnecessarily complicated while many divisions lack consensus on the true “champion”.
As a result, the true value of a world title is often weighed by two criteria; who you beat to win it, and who you’ve beaten to keep it. Scott Quigg is a prime example. Quigg was awarded a WBA “regular” world title in October 2013 after a draw with Yoandris Salinas. Having “won” his title in dubious circumstances, he avoided the true WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux for two years before the WBA stripped the Cuban and elevated Quigg to super champion. So although Quigg now holds the legitimate WBA super title at 122 pounds, he is still seen as a “paper” champion as a result of how he won his title and who he’s fought to keep it. Quigg has earned far more credibility for agreeing to face IBF champion Carl Frampton next February than he has for his two year reign as a WBA titleholder.
Although winning a world title is still an achievement that leads to lucrative career opportunities and remains the stated goal of most young fighters; it no longer commands the respect it once did. Credibility is no longer guaranteed by the gold around your waist. This leads us to predicament of current IBF welterweight champion, Kell Brook. How does Kell Brook’s credibility hold up when assessed by the two criteria mentioned earlier? Who did he beat to earn the belt and who has he fought since?
Brook’s long and winding journey to world title glory finally ended in August of 2014 when he defeated Shawn Porter by majority decision at the StubHub Centre in Carson, California. The more cynical fan might point out that the welterweight division at that time was home to both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. But they operated on a different plane to the rest of boxing; they would not be forced to fight Brook by any sanctioning body nor were either likely to take on a voluntary title defence against an opponent who was a complete unknown in the United States. With Mayweather and Pacquiao hogging the other three major titles, the IBF route was Brook’s only real option.
Although not at a Mayweather/Pacquiao level, Shawn Porter is one of the best 147 pound fighters on the planet. Having won the IBF title with a December 2013 upset of Devon Alexander, Porter proceeded to demolish the previously durable Paulie Malignaggi over 4 one-sided rounds in his first title defence. Wins over Alexander and Malignaggi may not sound overly impressive in December 2015 but in 2013-2014, both were still seen as close to their prime. The brutal nature of the Malignaggi fight in particular had prompted some to declare Porter a “mini Mike Tyson”.
Brook was not only facing a fast-rising, hard hitting, undefeated champion but he would have to travel to the U.S. to do it. Kell was the underdog entering the fight but displayed a solid chin, enough power to keep the swarming Porter at bay and the superior boxing skills to claim a close, but deserved victory. Claiming the title with a hard-fought win over a highly fancied champion, away from home earned Brook immediate credibility as a genuine world-level fighter.
The problem arises when you assess who he’s faced since then. Of course the stabbing incident shortly after his title win cost Brook time and potential fights, but the fact remains that it is now 16 months since his victory over Porter. In that time he has faced only Jo Jo Dan and Frankie Gavin. Dan was a mandatory challenger and an acceptable comeback fight for Brook. But Gavin is a European level fighter whose ideal weight class appears to be 7 pounds south of the welterweight division.
Brook had been scheduled to fight the credible, but uninspiring Diego Chaves in October however that fight was postponed due to an apparent rib injury suffered by Brook. Speaking to Sky Sports shortly after the Chaves fight was indefinitely postponed, Brook declared his intent to face the top names in the division, “I believe when I am at 100 per cent, there is no one who can touch me. Manny Pacquiao, [Danny] Garcia, [Keith] Thurman, [Shawn] Porter, [Timothy] Bradley – all of them are in my sights now”.
Throw the most notable absentee – Amir Khan – into that mix and it’s clear that Brook isn’t lacking credible potential opponents. But will we ever get to see him in the ring them? Having satisfied his IBF mandatory obligations with the Dan fight back in March, Brook has wasted the opportunity to fight a big name this year and once again finds himself needing to make a mandatory defence, with a 2016 fight against Kevin Bizier seemingly certain.
When he won his IBF title, Brook had a world of opportunity open in front of him. He was entering his prime and fought in a division loaded with talented big names, including a high profile domestic rival in Amir Khan.
Yet come April 2016 he will be almost 20 months into his reign and is likely to have faced only Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier. These names may pad his record and his bank balance but as each month passes and the memory of the Porter fight fades, Brook’s credibility as a champion continues to be eroded. This may be one major criticism of Brook’s management.
Kell Brook is an unbeaten world title holder sporting a perfect 35-0 record. But bizarrely, 2016 is set to be a make-or-break year for the Ingle Gym product. Over the next twelve months, how many of division’s big names will he face? Two would be a good return; one would be considered the bare minimum. If he fails to face a big name and continues instead to defend his belt against the level of opponent he has fought since Porter, he should emerge from 2016 with his title intact but he will enter 2025 with his credibility in ruin.
– Michael McCarthy / @mlmcc86
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