Saturday 16 August 2014 20:15, UK
Kell Brook insists he will not pass up the chance to 'show the world who's best' when he takes on Shawn Porter for his IBF welterweight crown this weekend.
British fighter Brook and his American opponent Porter both weighed-in inside the 147-pound limit ahead of their clash at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Brook tipped the scales at 146.5lb while defending champion Porter sneaked under the limit at 146.75lb after disrobing completely.
‘The Special One’ bids to extend his unbeaten record to 33 fights against the Porter in the early hours of Sunday morning, live on Sky Sports.
And should his prediction of success come to fruition, the 28-year-old from Sheffield is targeting an all-British title showdown against Amir Khan.
"I'm really excited now," he said. "I've come over here and I can already feel the buzz in the air. I've done the hard training and it's time for me to get in the ring and show the world that I am the best.
"I think at times it will end up in a dog fight in there but I am a more polished boxer and I'm ready to do dog-fight... I'm ready to do anything to get the win."
And Brook is confident a clash with Khan would rival the George Groves-Carl Froch double-header, should he put the first blemish on Porter's record this weekend.
"I'm sure it could happen and it will be every bit as big as Froch-Groves at Wembley," he said.
"Victory this weekend gives me a world title which will open the doors at the elite level of the sport... something I have always wanted."
But Porter, who is unbeaten in 25 contests, believes any dream of another packed out arena for the British duo must remain just that.
The man called Showtime, who has been marked up as a long odds-on favourite by the local bookies, said: "I don't do predictions, but I am very confident at the end of the weekend that I will still be the champion.
"I will be very aggressive and fast too. I will box him on the outside and on the inside and will come out on top."
Despite Porter's undoubted confidence over the outcome, Brook's trainer Dominic Ingle claims his man has nothing to fear from his American rival.
Porter is already being touted for potential showdowns with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but Ingle insists he has a long way to go before putting himself in their elite class.
I've done the hard training and it's time for me to get in the ring and show the world that I am the best.
"He is similar to Kell really, he's never fought anybody that I would consider a big name," he said. "And he's certainly no Mayweather or Pacquiao.
"Devon Alexander and Paulie Malignaggi (both beaten by Porter) have had their day and before those fights he didn't look remarkable.
"People can say the same about Kell, though, he's never fought anybody and he's looked a little ragged at times. So to me it's a 50-50 fight. In England, Kell would win the fight 100 per cent.
"We're up against it in California, but he is 28 years old and he has to take his chances when they come. It's maybe 60-40 for Shawn because it's in America, but it's not a fight I see Kell Brook losing."
Watch Kell Brook take on Shawn Porter, one of three world titles you can see live. Coverage begins at 2am on Sky Sports 1 on August 17.
