‘The Special One’ is returning from back-to-back losses against Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence, the latter of whom took his coveted welterweight crown.
Weighing in at 153.7 pounds and looking in amazing shape, Brook is hoping to land a championship at the super-welterweight limit after stating his intentions to retire before too long.
“I’m loving boxing again and things can change, and I still feel that I’ve got big fights left in me before I call it a day. I’d love to win a title at super-welterweight,” he stated.
“There was a list of fighters in front of us and Rabchenko stood out. He’s a very dangerous fighter and the fans might have let me off fighting someone lesser than him, but I wanted to fight him because I need to come back in a serious fight to stay switched on and not cut corners in the gym.
“You have to be professional but with a lesser opponent I might have enjoyed Christmas a bit more but not with Rabchenko, he’s a real threat.
“He’s boxed at a high level, been European champion, beaten my mate Ryan Rhodes – Ryan has boxed Canelo so to be stopped by Rabchenko it shows he is a good fighter and this is the right test for me in my first fight at 154lbs.
“Eddie named other fighters but I said no. I know that he’s a handful and he’s tough and clever. He’s calm and thoughtful in a fight, and I need a test like this.
“I can’t be half-hearted, I need to be fully committed and I will be for Rabchenko,” added Brook.
Rabchenko is formerly trained by Ricky Hatton but has endured a chequered career at the top level and begins as a firm underdog to win at Sheffield Arena.
