7,000 expected for big Kell Brook night at Sheffield Arena

The choice of opponent, Kevin Bizier, may not have captured many headlines across the world.

But Sheffield fans love a Kell Brook night at the Arena - he has had five memorable outings there and can’t wait for his next one. “You cannot take your eye of the ball” said Brook.

“Kevin is the mandatory challenger, he’s worked hard to get that shot and deserves it. If I look past him, you get found out. This is my belt, no-one is taking it from me and I have to be at my best. It’s all well and good saying that I want the big names but without putting on an explosive masterclass against Bizier I won’t get those fights.

“This is my home town, my arena and my fans - no-one packs an Arena like I do here and I am going to make sure that my return to this place is going to be stylish. He’s getting in with the best and he’s got his work cut-out. You have to take on your mandatory challengers and rightly so – that’s how I won this belt.”

The South Yorkshire man continued: “I got injured with the leg in the knife attack so I had to fight Jo Jo Dan then I boxed Frankie Gavin at The O2 in a voluntary. He’d wanted the fight for a while so we got it on in a great night in London.

“Chaves was meant to be next and that would’ve been a tough fight but the injury means another mandatory. So opponent-wise, it’s been hard, but I want a unification fight next or something similarly huge to get people into a stadium watching me fight.

“The big names in the Welterweight division excite me and I think they excite the fans. I don’t do boring fights and I’m more than willing to go to America and knock the best out, or lay them out at Bramall Lane.

“I’m going to get business done in style on March 26 and then I want to unify the division this year. It’s basically been 10 months of training for this fight and I’m desperate to get in there and put on a show.”

Brook’s clash with Bizier is part of a huge night of action in the Steel City as Hull’s Olympic gold medal star Luke Campbell MBE returns to action in a Yorkshire derby with Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title.

Birley Bomber Adam Etches is straight back into title action on the card, South Yorkshire heavyweights Dave Allen and Richard Towers clash in a British title eliminator and Andy Townend meets Craig Poxton for the English Super-Featherweight title.