Gennady Golovkin vs Kell Brook: Brook insists weight won't slow him
Saturday 20 August 2016 11:57, UK
Kell Brook is adamant that stepping up two weight divisions to take on middleweight ruler Gennady Golovkin won't diminish his speed.
Brook (36-0-KO25) is the reigning IBF world welterweight champion and at the 30-day check-weigh-in, scaled 176lbs - almost 30lbs more than the 147lb welterweight limit.
Yet as he prepares for the toughest test of his professional career against Kazakhstan's WBA Super, WBC and IBF world middleweight champion Golovkin (35-0-KO32), Brook insists increased power doesn't mean decreased speed.
He told Sky Sports: "I'm pushing myself to the limit. I'm working very hard and we've done some gruelling rounds. Sparring partners are pushing me because I know I'm in for a really tough night on September 10. I'm making sure I'm doing it in the gym.
"I'm full of energy. I'm full of fluid and it's coming out with me. I'm full of nice nutritional food and I'm pushing myself very hard. I'm feeling a lot better with three and a half weeks to go. I'm fit, healthy, injury-free ready for every single session.
"I'm normally heavy. Not as heavy as I am now but with the science behind it, I've been working my legs with the weights but keeping the speed and movement. I've been using all the ring and probably a bit too much, getting used to moving a lot because anything that can happen on the night.
Anything we're working on, we're keeping close to our chest.
"I'm heavy but I'm using this heaviness as I would as a welterweight - keeping the speed but I'm more vicious, more natural and stronger at this weight."
Few have been able to stand up to Golovkin's power. 'GGG' has not been taken the distance since an eight-round victory over Amar Amari in 2008, so Brook's tactics are likely to be crucial to his chances.
Unsurprisingly, though, 'The Special One' was reticent when asked for details of the game plan trainer Dominic Ingle is concocting.
Brook said: "I'm working on a few things but this is the fight of my life so I'm keeping it to myself. Nobody in Britain has done what I'm going to do on September 10 - shock the world by jumping up two weight divisions to beat the man everyone's afraid of.
"Anything we're working on, we're keeping close to our chest. This is the fight and you can get hurt in there so I need to be 100 per cent in it."
Watch Gennady Golovkin v Kell Brook from The O2 on September 10 - live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office.
