Monday 1 June 2015 09:32, UK
Kell Brook has identified Brandon Rios as the “perfect candidate” for his next fight.
Brook, 29, made the second successful defence of his IBF world welterweight title on Saturday night with a sixth-round stoppage of Frankie Gavin as he took his unblemished record to 35-0.
Brook now wants “all-action” bouts against the best fighters in the welterweight division and is keen to make Rios, the 29-year-old American who lost to Manny Pacquiao in 2013, his next victim.
He told Sky Sports: “I want massive names. I want to get up for big fights now.
"They are talking about Brandon Rios and that really excites me because we all know that he loves to have a fight and he is entertaining for the fans, and that’s what I want to give. I want to give an all-action fight and he is the perfect candidate for the job.
“His team is saying that he is going to come over and knock me out, so bring that challenge on. I’m more than willing to take Brandon Rios on and perform in front of my British fans again.
“The world is my oyster. I’m in lead position and I’m unbeaten. Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Keith Thurman, Brandon Rios, [Marcos] Maidana – the list goes on. There are that many of them and every one will be such an exciting fight, so I am in a blessed position.”
Arguably the biggest fight for Brook would be against Amir Khan, who defeated Chris Algieri in New York on Friday night.
However, with Khan still determined to seal a bout against Floyd Mayweather, both Brook and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have stated that they have all but given up on an all-British title showdown.
Instead, Hearn is already working on a potential bout with Rios and is keen to hold it in Brook's home city of Sheffield.
He said: "We definitely need a big name for Kell here in August. August 29 is the date we are looking at. I would love to do it at Bramall Lane and we are in talks with Sheffield United.
"Rios is still my first choice because I think he is the perfect opponent in terms of style, name and entertainment. They seem to want the fight."
