Boxing warning: the shot that Sergey Rabchenko could catch Sheffield's Kell Brook with at Sheffield Arena

Kell Brook must be on the top of his game if he is to beat Sergey Rabchenko at Sheffield Arena on Saturday night.
Up for the challenge: Kell BrookUp for the challenge: Kell Brook
Up for the challenge: Kell Brook

That's the view of boxing trainer Andy Marlow, who watched the Belarusian hard case train for more than three months, in Dronfield.Rabehcnko, then a Ricky Hatton-managed fighter, frequently sparred and trained with Adam Etches - and showed a high enough calibre to send warning signals out to Marlow."Sergey is very good; he spent 14 weeks at our gym and I was impressed with his level of skill and counter attacks...if he's fit Kell has got to be at the top of his game" said the trainer."Sergey is definitely a counter puncher.

"His right hand counter punch to Kell's jab will possibly stop Kell from jabbing and his body shots will be a real danger to Kell, especially if he's cut a lot of weight. "If Sergey is on form he would be a danger to any light middleweight or middleweight out there" added Marlow."He definitely looks as though he's made the weight early looking at recent photos; so it looks like a great match up ."I hope Kell has prepared for this if he gets through Sergey I'm sure the next one has got to be Amir Khan."If the Khan show fails to materialise, Sheffield fighter and bookies' favourite Brook may try and lock horns with the likes of Erislandy Lara, Jermell Charlo, Jarrett Hurd or Sadam Ali in the 154lbs light middleweight division.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Dore father of two is desperate to hit the world headlines again.

Brook says: "I want people talking about me again, I want people saying, ‘Wow I’ve never seen him fight like that, I’ve never seen anyone do that’.

“That’s what I want. I don’t want people to remember me as the guy holding his eye in" he said, a reference to two eye socket injuries in his last two fights against Errol Spence Jr and Gennady Golovkin.

“I like to beat the odds. I want to be in fights that are made in heaven, dream fights.

Sergey RabchenkoSergey Rabchenko
Sergey Rabchenko
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I don’t want to be remembered as the man with two broken eyes.

“I wasn’t able to see shots coming against Spence or Golovkin. I can’t just leave the sport like that, no man has beaten me without an injury.

“I’ve got more to give. Now I’m made of steel, literally, there will be no stopping me. Nothing can break.”

The WBC have sanctioned their 154Ibs ‘silver’ title to be on the line - am obvious route back to the top for Brook, if he wins.

Brook is still ranked number five in the RING Magazine’s welterweight standings,