Brook to take on Zerafa on Dec. 8

Former welterweight champion Kell Brook will take on Michael Zerafa on December 8th in Sheffield, England, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Brook is aiming to eventually fight at 147 pounds for a much-anticipated showdown with British rival Amir Khan in 2019, but he needs to take care of business against Zerafa for that fight to be finalized.

“We know that the Khan fight is on the horizon, but this is all part of Kell’s preparation for being razor-sharp and bringing his weight down to 147 pounds. Zerafa aims to spoil the party,” promoter Eddie Hearn said.

“I’m delighted to be back at Sheffield Arena in front of my people,” Brook said. “‘The Special One’ is back, and all of my focus and attention is on getting myself ready to put on a spectacular performance for my loyal fans. I want to close the year in special fashion and set up some blockbuster fights in 2019. I was ringside for Amir Khan’s last fight [on Sept. 8], so let’s see if he’ll be there on Dec. 8, or will he be too shook for Brook?”

“This is the biggest opportunity of Zerafa’s career, and he will be coming over here to take my scalp, but there’s levels in this game, and I need to put him away to get the big fights that I desire,” Brook said. “Meticulous work, dedication, preparation and focus has gone into this camp and I will continue to grind until fight week.”

“I thrive from being the underdog, and I believe that Kell Brook’s team have made the mistake of overlooking me,” Zerafa said. “I’m a completely different fighter to the man that lost to Peter Quillin, and on Dec. 8 I will prove that.

“I’ve already dreamt of beating Kell and replayed the fight over and over in my head. I was born for greatness, and Dec. 8 is the beginning of my rise to the top of the sport. Kell is a true warrior and a great champion, but he’s been in some tough fights and put a lot of miles on the clock. I see a ship with a lot of holes ,and too many holes leads to a sunken ship. On Dec. 8 there will be a huge upset, and I will make a lot of people eat their words.”