by James Slater – A top quality British title fight match-up takes place in Liverpool on October 30th, as reigning British welterweight champion Kell Brook takes on former champion Michael Jennings. 23-year-old Brook, unbeaten in 20 pro bouts (13 wins coming by stoppage) is an exciting young fighter seen by many as a possible big name of the future beyond just the domestic scene. But against the older and more seasoned Jennings, the fighter who calls himself “Special K” could be in for his toughest fight yet..
A young 31, Jennings is best known on the world scene for his brave but losing effort against WBO 147-pound king Miguel Cotto. The former British and WBU welterweight champ was outgunned from the start back in February, and eventually got stopped in the 5th-round. Jennings bounced back from what was only his second pro defeat, when he TKO’d the unbeaten yet untested Willie Thompson inside four rounds in May. Now 35-2(17), Jennings is looking to win back the British belt he lost via decision to Young Mutley.
Brook, though, has other ideas. A stoppage win, especially one that comes even quicker than the one Cotto scored over Jennings, would be a huge statement for the would-be star. And Brook can certainly punch, as his impressive number of recent quick KO’s proves (of Brook’s last five fights, four of them have ended in less than three rounds). Some good fighters have fallen to the 23-year-old, too.
Last time out, in July, Brook despatched the talented Michael Lomax (winner of “Prizefighter” the welterweights) in just 3-rounds, becoming the first man to stop the 30-year-old Londoner. And before that, in making the first defence of his British title, against the tough Kevin McIntyre, Brook won in just one round of action. Can he put on a similar showing against Jennings?
Without a doubt, Jennings is correct when he says Brook is moving up in class when he faces him and that he has not yet fought anyone of his pedigree. The older man believes his far greater experience – the Cotto thing being a huge experience for Jennings, even though he lost – will prove to be too much for the still learning Brook. He may be right; this fight is indeed the acid test for the flashy Sheffield man. On the other hand, Jennings, of Chorley in Lancashire, has been caught early and hurt in fights before. Could the fast (arguably the faster fighter of the two) and hard-hitting Brook catch Jennings and get him in big trouble early on? This scenario is also a possibility.
The longer the fights goes, the better chance Jennings, a man with proven stamina, will have of winning. Brook has never gone further than 7 rounds before, and if Jennings can take him into the deep waters and force him to fight at a fast pace throughout, he could struggle. Or he could rise to the occasion and shine. This is what’s so intriguing about October’s fight; we don’t yet know for sure how good Brook is – we only know how good he has looked so far. Also, we don’t know what, if anything, the Cotto beating took out of Jennings.
A quick KO could happen for Brook; he is that speedy a puncher and he is that dangerous. But I think a distance fight is more likely. He may well have to dig deep in his first ever 12-rounder, and he may have the odd sticky patch along the way, but I go for Brook to pass the test and win a close decision in a fine fight.
By the way, BoxRec have listed for the under-card an appearance by former WBO cruiserweight champ Enzo Maccarinelli (against a TBA). Has the Welshman decided to definitely carry on with his career after all then?