Exclusive: Kell Brook recovering after second facial surgery

Sheffield’s deposed world welterweight champion suffered the break in his defeat to Errol Spence Jr at Bramall Lane on May 27.

It was a similar injury to the one he suffered against Gennady Golovkin last September.

Gym-mate Kid Galahad said: “I spoke to him yesterday and the operation went well. It’s been painful but he’ll get better now.”

At 31 years of age, and having been a world champion for two years nine months and 11 days, Brook has nothing to prove and could retire. But boxing is, to some extent, all he has ever known.

So don’t rule out the possibility of a warm-up match later this year or next. And then, the possibility of the one fight he wanted more than any - against Amir Khan.

Galahad said: “He’s been on about moving up to light middleweight, I think he’ll come back.”

Since the defeat to Spence Jr, there has been some criticism, of Brook to take a knee 107 seconds into the scheduled penultimate round. But multiple belt light heavyweight title holder Andre Ward, 33, said: “I don’t knock Kell Brook for that, every man has to make that decision on his own.

“And I don’t think it is right for other fighters to bash another man for taking that decision. He knows what he felt in that ring, we don’t know what he felt.

“I’d rather him tap out and go home to his family than try to prove something for what? And then not go home? And then everybody saying we need prayers for Kell Brook?

“He did what he had to do, I respect that. I never question stuff like that. That’s his business. It’s a personal thing.”

WBC World super welterweight title-holder Jermell Charlo, 27, thinks Brook’s campaigning days are over.

On the prospect of fighting the Sheffielder at 11 stone: “I would knock Kell Brook out. I don’t believe Kell Brook will come back to box after another surgery - it’s not worth it.”