Updated: Mar 28, 2015 11:26 pm
Kell Brook (34-0, 22 KOs) successfully defended his IBF title tonight against Jo Jo Dan in front of a sell-out crowd at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, this was Brook’s first title defence since he beat Shawn Porter back in August to become world champion.
This fight was the delayed homecoming for the Sheffield fighter, after his boxing career was put on hold while Kell Brook recovered from a stab wound that he received on holiday after the Porter fight.
Kell Brook made a statement tonight in his fight against mandatory challenger #1 IBF Ionut “Jo Jo” Dan Ion (34-3, 18 KOs), he proved that he deserves to be in the elite class of the welterweight division.
The Canadian based Romanian was well out of his depth for a number one contender, the step up in class for Jo Jo Dan proved too much for him handle and Brook started the first round very sharp, he had no problem finding the target with both hands fighting from range.
At the beginning of the second round Kell Brook was hit with a couple of dubious low blows which the ref allowed, this proved a big mistake as the Sheffield fighter responded with a couple of flush shots which sent his opponent to the canvas.
Jo Jo Dan managed to get back to his feet only for Brook to unleash another flurry of shots, which sent Jo Jo Dan down once again.
For the rest of the round Dan was out on his feet, running away from Brook to avoid further punishment. Kell Brook was just toying with him towards the end of the second keeping up the pressure.
Jo Jo Dan offered no head movement at all and was just a sitting duck for Kell Brook who was putting in a combination of shots, this was just target practice Brook.
The third round did not offer much as Dan was continuously holding, he was just dipping down low and tying up Brook, risking getting points taken off from the referee.
Jo Jo Dan was clinging on for dear life in the fourth round, he was trying hard to stay on his feet but then he hit the canvas twice in succession, with the second knock down coming right on the bell, that shot took its toll on the Romanian as he slumped back in his corner.
That knockdown took so much out of Dan that his corner called the fight off after he failed to come out for the fifth round.
Kell Brook had floored Dan on four occasions before the challenger’s corner stepped in to spare him more punishment.
From the second round Jo Jo Dan started to make the fight as awkward as he could, but Kell Brook just took his time and was composed throughout the fight. The uppercuts and hooks that Brook was landing was crisp, clean and so well-timed, it just shows that Kell Brook is settling down as a champion, he is confident in his ability and he will only get better.
Kell Brook showed no effects to the stabbing injury to his leg which delayed his home-coming, however Brook put in a punch perfect display to win his first IBF title defence and dispatch of Jo Jo Dan emphatically in front of home packed crowd.
There are massive fights out there for Kell Brook, in the ring after the fight Kell Brook called out Amir Khan to setup all-british rivlary fight in the UK which was echoed by Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
Kell Brook on Amir Khan:
“I know you’re delicate around the whiskers.
“I will take you out!”
The future is bright for Kell Brook.
Other fights on the night:
Gavin McDonnell UD 12 Oleksandr Yegorov
Frankie Gavin pts 10 Bogdan Mitic
Khalid Yafai pts 8 Cristofer Rosales
Jordan Gill pts 6 Barrington Brown
Stephen Smith pts 6 JacekWylezol
