AS quickly as it was rumoured, Frankie Gavin suddenly finds himself challenging Kell Brook for the IBF welterweight title.
โI asked for the shot,โ Frankie told Boxing News. โNo hesitation whatsoever.โ
Explaining how it came about, Gavin said, โI had Chris Van Heerden [set for May 9 in Birmingham], then I had the final eliminator with Timothy Bradley, then I had the straight shot with Brook. Itโs a no brainer. I donโt understand why [Amir] Khan never took it. Itโs very winnable for him. Iโm really shocked at how he never took it. But his loss is my gain.
โI didnโt think it would be this quick. I think looking at the rankings itโs deserved really. Got a lot of people putting it down but theyโre saying Iโve got big balls to fight. Iโm a fighter. Itโs a world title shot, itโs not something I have to be brave to do, itโs something Iโve wanted my whole career.โ
He considers Brookโs strengths to be his timing as his power. โBut weโll see on the night. I think heโs stiff up top. I think Iโll be able to catch him. Iโm going to go out there, do my best and weโll see what happens,โ Gavin said. โIโm the big underdog but [thereโs] no pressure, only the pressure I put on myself. I know, regardless of what anyone says, Iโm a good fighter and I can trouble Kell Brook. Iโve just got to go out there and do it.
โAll the pressureโs on him. He has to go and perform. My job is to stop that from happening.โ
The Brummie sounds quietly confident. โIโm not thinking past that fight. Iโve got nothing to lose. If I win the fight, Iโm world champion, if I lose Iโm still here where I am now. Iโll be going for that European and back for a world title shot definitely,โ he continued. โI think Iโve got another six years in this game and Iโll keep trying until the day I realise I havenโt got it. At the moment I know Iโve got it, I see it in the gym.
โIโm just thinking about Kell Brook nothing else at the moment.โ
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