By Carlos Boogs
Derrick James, head trainer of undefeated Olympian Errol Spence (21-0, 18 KOs), is brushing off any talk of a size advantage in favor of IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KOs).
Last Wednesday in Sheffield, Spence and Brook went face to face when the boxers officially announced their upcoming fight. The anticipated bout takes place at Bramall Lane on Saturday May 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office and live on Showtime in the United States.
Brook is making the fourth defense of his title. He captured the belt in August 2014 when he traveled over to the United States to win a close twelve round decision over Shawn Porter at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Last September, Brook moved up by two weight divisions to challenge Golovkin at The O2 in London. Brook started very well in the fight and had his moments, but ultimately he suffered a fractured orbital bone and was stopped in five rounds.
Now the British champion has elected to squeeze back down to the welterweight limit of 147, to comply with the IBF's order to make a mandatory defense against Spence.
Against most opponents at 147, Brook held a clear advantage in size, power and physical strength. He has the physical appearance of a junior middleweight. Very few expected Brook to return to the welterweight division, because of his past struggles to make the welterweight limit.
James is not worried about Brook's ability to make the weight and he feels there is no size advantage in play.
"I know that he's a multi-millionaire. So what that means is that he can hire every dietitian, get all the right meals. He's not a poor fighter. With a poor guy we might say 'oh man, you might not make the weight.' He's a multi-millionaire so he can hire the best nutritionists to get him everything he needs and I'm sure that's what he's doing because he mentioned someone," James told BoxingScene.com.
"So [Brook is] okay, he's not a big guy. You saw them stand up next to each other. He's a fat guy that likes to eat - that's the difference. Errol Spence is just as big as he is and Errol Spence is taller than he is. That's the reality. [Brook] likes to eat, so maybe he has a lack of discipline when it comes to eating but he trains hard and he looks great in fights."
"[Brook] says that he likes to go down to the refrigerator in the middle of the night.... that's what he said, I'm using his words - so that's where the issues lie. It's not so much about him starving to make weight, just stop eating. He's multi-mollionaire, he can get the right nutritionists and eat whatever they tell him to eat, but he just chooses not to."
