American causes controversy at pre-fight press conference
Kell Brook has vowed to shut Carson Jones up for good after the American goaded him at the final press conference ahead of their rematch at the MS3 Craven Park in Hull on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1HD in Betfair’s ‘The Homecoming’.
Jones goaded Brook in front of the media and fans in attendance at the New Theatre Hull, saying: “There’s going to be a lot of sad faces at the end of the fight, you’ll be one of them Eddie [Hearn, Brook’s promoter] and a lot of disappointed fans,” before reciting controversial lines used by Ivan Drago from the Rocky IV movie.
Brook and Jones met in Sheffield a year ago and gave The Special One a real scare, breaking his nose in the eighth round and making the 27 year old hang on to secure a majority decision win after he’d dominated the opening half of the fight.
The unbeaten Sheffield star has promised his fans that there will be no repeat of the problems he had 12 months ago, and after Jones’ words in today’s press conference, the IBF number one is in the mood to unleash his very best on the Oklahoma danger man.
“I’m even more fired up to get rid of him now,” said Brook. “He’s very cocky for someone who’s never beaten anyone of note, and this time I’ll knock him out and send him home for good – he won’t want to come back after Saturday night.
“The first fight has been bugging me ever since I got back in the dressing room afterwards. He was at 100 per cent for that fight and put in the best performance of his career. I was nowhere near full throttle but I am as close to the best Kell Brook I’ve ever been and he’ll be out of my life for good on Saturday night.
“I could have had an easier opponent but the last fight was an exciting, mouth-watering fight and I think the fans deserve it. It is going to be a tough fight and I am training hard for it but I am going to go out there and have fun and take care of business.
“It will test me but I am willing to take it on and I am excited, so I will go in there and show what I have learnt from last year’s fight. You will see a different animal in there.
“Last time I did the weight all wrong. I have a new team on board now, a nutritionist, a strength and conditioner, and I am going to make sure I put things right tonight. The first four, five or six rounds you saw last time you will see all the way through tonight. I am making a statement, I want to get rid of Carson Jones and I will get rid of him inside the distance.
“It is going to be a great night, there will be fireworks and I am very excited to get back in and I can’t wait to take my frustrations out on Carson Jones.”
Brook and Jones are part of a stellar line-up in Humberside, as hometown favourite and Olympic Gold medal hero Luke Campbell MBE makes his pro debut against Andy Harris.
Welsh featherweight star Lee Selby takes on Romanian Viorel Simion and there’s a tasty battle for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title between Hull’s Tommy Coyle and Liverpool’s Derry Mathews.
Campbell’s fellow Olympic medallist Anthony Ogogo boxes for the third time in the pro ranks and is joined on the undercard by Liverpool’s Rocky Fielding, Sheffield’s Curtis Woodhouse, Islington’s John Ryder and young Hull talents Joel Haigh and Zak Collins.
Tickets for Betfair’s ‘The Homecoming’ are on sale now priced £25, £40, £60 and £100 from www.hullkr.co.uk – VIP packages priced £150 are available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com and on 01277 359900.
