Kell Brook takes boxing message to 'motherland' of Zimbabwe
Kell Brook's message throughout the trip to Zimbabwe has centred on inspiration, discipline and the opportunities boxing can create
Kell Brook's first visit to Zimbabwe has seen the former Sheffield world champion cast in an unexpected new role - not as a fighter, pundit or comeback attraction, but as an ambassador for boxing in a country hoping to revive its fortunes in the sport.
Dore's former IBF welterweight champion travelled to the southern African nation at the invitation of the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy and Proma Events Africa, with organisers keen to expose young Zimbabwean boxers to someone who reached the very top of the professional game.
Rather than talking about his own achievements, Brook's message throughout the trip has centred on inspiration, discipline and the opportunities boxing can create.
"Thank you guys for having me in Africa. I am very excited being welcomed and I am very excited to inspire the fighters in Zimbabwe," said Brook.
The Ingle fighter, whose career included world title triumphs and major bouts against the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin, Errol Spence Jr and Amir Khan, told local boxers that the sport had transformed his own life.
"I have boxed all my life and I have made it in life through boxing and I would like to inspire the young fighters that if you work hard and you show your talent and you listen to your trainers and you work hard, you can be like me and see the world and be in the big fights across the world," he said.
Brook also spoke warmly about the reception he has received.
"The hospitality has been very nice to me. I am blessed to be in my motherland of Africa.
"I am very excited to have a tour around Zimbabwe on my first visit. I am very excited to see the people, meet the people, meet the fighters and give them some positive energy."
The visit includes tours of gyms and boxing clubs around the country, giving Brook an opportunity to assess the challenges facing the sport there.
Asked what Zimbabwean boxing needs to do to bridge the gap to the world stage, Brook stopped short of offering instant solutions.
"This is the first time I've come to Africa. Things are different in England," he said.
"I need to look first to see where I can see the stepping stone. I need to see what I think needs to be done for these fighters to come forward and get on the big stage where the big lights are.
"I had a dream when I was a little boy that if I worked hard, I could do it."
His advice to aspiring professionals was simple.
"The answer is to work hard, take boxing very seriously, listen to the people who have made it and just work hard. Eat the right food, train very hard and don't be denied. Make sure nobody can say you can't. You've got to believe you're going to do this, and you will do it."
Zimbabwe is not a country with a deep professional boxing tradition compared with neighbours South Africa or Zambia.
However, it has produced notable fighters, most prominently Charles Manyuchi, who won the WBC International welterweight title and later the WBC Silver welterweight belt, becoming arguably the country's most accomplished boxer of the modern era.
The sport has often struggled with funding and infrastructure, leading some of Zimbabwe's leading fighters to base themselves abroad to secure better opportunities. Manyuchi himself spent much of his career fighting and training in Zambia, where boxing enjoys a higher profile.
That background helps explain why Brook's presence has generated considerable attention. For organisers, bringing a former British world champion to local gyms is as much about raising aspirations as technical coaching.
As for Brook's own future, his planned return to the ring appears to remain on course.
The 40-year-old is scheduled to face UAE boxer Eisa Al Dah in Manchester in a comeback bout staged in tribute to the late Ricky Hatton.
The contest was originally due to take place in Dubai but was postponed and moved because of instability in the Middle East. The fight now appears to be set for Manchester on July 18, with proceeds supporting the Ricky Hatton Foundation.
For now, though, Brook's focus is on Harare, Bulawayo and the gyms in between - serving as an unlikely ambassador for a sport still searching for its next Zimbabwean star.