What is it?
British boxing staple Kell Brook is hoping to bounce back from back-to-back defeats at the hands of Gennady Golvkin and Errol Spence.
The 31-year-old is squaring off against Belarusian Sergey Rabchenko, with Brook moving up a weight to make the fight happen.
Marking a step towards a world title, the showdown is a chance for retribution following two brutal defeats at the hands of world class opposition.
When is it and where is it taking place?
The bout will take in Brooks’ home city of Sheffield, where the Englishman is adored by locals.
Taking place at the FlyDSA Arena, the fight takes place this Saturday (March 3) in front of a sold out crowd.
What time will the fight start?
The action kicks off in the Steel city at 7:30pm, although both men in the main event are not expected to make their ring walk until around 9:40pm.
That means a rough starting time for Brook vs Rabchenko should be slotted for 10pm, although with the nature of boxing events that’s subject to change.
What are the odds? Where is the money going?
Brook is an enormous overriding favourite at 1/16, meaning if you staked £16 on him to win in any way – you would only win £1 profit.
On the other hand, Rabchenko enters the contest as a sizable underdog at 33/1, meaning if you put £1 on him you’d have £34 in total.
Where’s the money going?
Due to the sizable differential in odds, plucky punters have staked their cash on Rabchenko to emerge victorious, attracting 56% of all bets on the fight.
That isn’t the case for punters in Sheffield however, with punters Yorkshire city backing their man in force, with 97% of all bets on Brook. Everyone loves a hometown hero, eh?
What TV channel is it on?
The fight will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.
If you aren’t in the position to broadcast the fight on Sky, there are alternative options.
Don’t want to sign up to a subscription? Fear not, as you can purchase a Now TV Day Pass for the price as £7.99.
What are their records?
Both men enter the bout at 31-years-of-age, with Brook edging Rabchenko on total victories to the tune of 36-29.
The Sheffield star also comes out on top when it comes to winning by KO, with 25 compared to Rabchenko’s 22.
Both men have only lost two fights in their professional career, however, Brook is the more experienced with 195 rounds compared to the Belarusian’s 142.
There’s not much of a height differential between the pair, with Brook standing at 5’9 and Rabchenko at 5’10.
What have they said?
Discussing his health, Brook said: “The bone’s knotted together and I’ve got titanium on top, so they call me the ‘Terminator’ now.
“The first few spars, I was a bit worried about it, but after I’ve been in with big guys and then bouncing off and hitting their hands, I realised I have got no problems.
“I don’t even think about it now when I go in to spar, or this fight. I just feel like I’ve got plenty in the tank.
“I’ve got lots of energy and I’m looking to go old school in this fight. Be a bit lighter on my feet and use the ring well.”
“I’m really looking forward to this fight with Kell Brook and it’s going to be a war.
“I have fond memories of Sheffield and I believe the result will be the same (as against Rhodes).
“This is a high-profile fight in the division that has always been mine, and the winner will go on and challenge for the world title.
“It’s a must win fight for both of us.”
What’s your prediction for the fight?
With the nature of the event, the most straightforward and downright obvious shout is that Brook is a monumental favourite to win the fight.
However, due to the nature of the short price on Brook, there are various other avenues to be explored to find better value.
Brook to win via KO, TKO or Disqualification is a fairly priced 8/13, which looks like it could provide value.
With the Sheffield fighters’ relentless pace and technical ability, it’s easy to see him disposing of Rabchenko in relatively quick fashion.
In round betting, Brook to win between rounds 1-6 is a very decently priced 13/8, which should definitely be considered as worthwhile.
