Tag Archives: scared
Kell Brook Is Neither A Wimp, Nor A Coward
Kell Brook Is Neither A Wimp, Nor A Coward
By: Sean Crose
It was inevitable, I suppose. After getting severely hurt by Gennady Golovkin last fall, then getting severely hurt again by Errol Spence Jr on Saturday, British welterweight Kell Brook is receiving heat for going down on one knee and taking a ten count. Heaven forbid. When he went up two weight classes to face Golovkin last year, Brook had his right orbital bone damaged in a fight where he performed gamely. His corner wisely threw in the towel. This past Saturday, in front of his home town of Sheffield, England, Brook had his left orbital bone damaged in his welterweight title defense against Spence in another bout where he had been performing gamely. This time, however, Brook’s corner didn’t throw in the towel, so the beaten man went on one knee and took a dignified ten count.
And for this grave offense, we’re told by some that Brook is a wimp and/or a coward. Never mind the fact that during a time when Floyd Mayweather may face the mother of all cherry picks in Conor McGregor, Brook has faced not one, but two of the most feared fighters in all of boxing – in a row, no less. If that weren’t enough, people should keep in mind that Brook could easily have avoided fighting both Golovkin and Spence. Perhaps Brook himself is actually wondering if he should have taken on such adversaries, since he’s now essentially being knocked for traveling the less than easy road. Here’s a question, though: What kind of message does all of this give talented young fighters who may want to avoid the low-risk/high reward deathtrap that, until very recently, has completely stagnated the sport of boxing? Are we now demanding these fighters not only face the best consistently, but then “take it like a man” and absorb perhaps permanent damage when they’re being beaten senseless? Let’s hope not.
I wrote about this nonsense on Twitter this weekend and was surprised by the response. Most who responded clearly agreed that Brook deserved credit. Those of another train of thought than my own, though, basically brought up two points. First, that Spence wasn’t all THAT menacing, and, second, that Brook was very well paid for the beatings he took. The truth is that I can’t respond to either of those points, since I haven’t fought Errol Spence, nor do I have any idea what kind of money Kell Brook has made over the past twelve months or so. What I do know, however, is that the guy stepped up and fought two people he was predicted to lose against when he didn’t have to. I also saw him give it his all and clearly take visible damage in the process.
How many other modern, top-name fighters have you seen step up like Brook has – on more than one occasion, no less?
More Columns
GGG: Canelo Is “Just Scared”
GGG: Canelo Is “Just Scared”
By: Sean Crose
According to the highly regarded Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, middleweight terror Gennady Golovkin had some choice words for one Saul “Canelo” Alvarez recently. While fans want the two men to meet ASAP, Golovkin made it clear that he doesn’t think Canelo wants to step into the ring with him anytime soon. Why? Because Golovkin feels the red headed star is simply afraid. “Everybody wants to watch this fight,” Golovkin is quoted as saying. “He’s just scared.” Canelo’s reputation has already taken a hit due to the fact that he gave up his WBC middleweight title before defending it against Golovkin. Such talk from the generally mild mannered “GGG” clearly isn’t going to help matters for the PR department of Golden Boy, Canelo’s promoter.
“He’s fighting small guys,” Golovkin went on to say. “No one with a true big punch.”
Liam Smith, Canelo’s next opponent may beg to differ, but Golovkin supporters love to bring up the fact that Canelo, who won the lineal middleweight crown from veteran star Miguel Cotto last year, is moving down to junior middleweight in order to face Smith in Dallas later this month. Indeed, it’s now clear that Golovkin no longer thinks highly of Canelo, who once had a reputation as a take on all comers fighter. While word has made the rounds that the Mexican star will face Golovkin next year, Golovkin is no longer buying it.
Pugmire makes it clear in his piece that Golovkin believes Canelo will probably wait a full thirty-six months before agreeing to the fight. Sure enough, talk of a bout next September doesn’t seem to be anything more than talk to the Kazakh knockout artist. “He’s saying,” Golovkin claimed, “September’s the best date. Maybe he’ll fight Margarito, maybe Pacquiao or blah, blah, blah before then.” Fans who have felt Golovkin needed to be more vocal in calling out Canelo can no longer claim GGG is taking it easy on his potential opponent.
“He’s not serious.” Golovkin said. “Everybody understands it. People understand that G’s ready and Canelo’s not.” The undefeated mutli-belt holder also stated that Canelo and the gang at Golden Boy would engage in some sleight of hand by offering GGG virtual peanuts for a match before stepping away to claim they tried their best to make the fight happen. “It’s a 50-50 fight,” Golovkin claimed in Pugmire’s article, “but that’s what he’s going to do. It’s a game to him.”
Harsh words indeed. Whether they goad team Canelo into fighting Golovkin sooner rather than later remains to be seen. Golovkin made an interesting point in Pugmire’s piece when he indicated that Canelo is Golden Boy’s feature attraction and that a beat down at his (GGGs) gloved hands would be bad for business. Still, Canelo appears to have a strong, though perhaps diminished, fan base. And that base could well decide if and when a bout with Golovkin occurs. Canelo has long argued he’s not at all afraid of Golovkin. Whether or not his fans, especially the paying ones, believe him may make all the difference.
As for Golovkin, he’s set to face IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook in a huge fight in Britain next month.
