Big time beckons Sheffield’s Brook

Brook continued his ascent to elite level on Saturday night as he wowed 10,000 fans at the Motorpoint Arena in his Sheffield hometown by outclassing British welterweight rival Matthew Hatton.

The unbeaten 25-year-old, who has been on the cusp of a world title challenge for some time, proved his box office appeal and big-fight temperament with a superb performance of poise and power en route to a wide unanimous decision victory.

Brook has long been linked with fellow Englishman Khan and has called for a fight between the pair for years.

Now, however, he is making a name for himself in his own right and with a world title belt around his waist, hopes he can eventually lure former light-welterweight champion Khan into a scrap.

“Of course I want Khan,” he said.

“I’ve been banging on about Amir Khan, but I’m going to do my own thing and if that fight happens, it happens, and I’ll smash him.”

Matchroom boss Hearn said: “Money talks. We’ve sold 10,000 for Kell Brook v Matthew Hatton. I could sell 40,000 tickets for Kell Brook against Amir Khan. It’s a pay-per-view fight.

“It’s probably one of the few fights that is going to bring back pay-per-view television to British boxing.

“Will Amir Khan take it? I wouldn’t imagine so.

“It has to be a pay-per-view, outdoor fight, because he’s got big revenue coming from HBO in America.

“So to bring it to seven, eight, nine o’clock at night, there has to be big money in the UK.

“With 40,000 fans and pay-per-view TV, that’s a fight that can happen.

“Let me tell you, Kell would absolutely destroy Amir Khan.

“We’ll fight him. We’ll fight him next, 100 per cent and make it happen outdoors with a crowd of 40,000 or 50,000.”

Hearn insists the numbers add up.

“It’s an easy fight to make money from,” he said. “They would both get millions of pounds.

“It sounds easy. Or for us, we’ll come back here in July and sell 10,000 tickets again (against someone else).”

Brook insists he just wants big names and big fights.

He said: “I want whoever I can get my hands on.

I’ll be watching Vyacheslav Senchenko v Paulie Malignaggi and Andre Berto v Victor Ortiz with great interest.

“I want to be fighting at that top table now with elite fighters. I think I’ve proved I deserve to be there. Forget Khan. I’m doing my own thing. I’ll get a belt and will be packing big arenas out.

“I’ve done this since I was nine years old and I’m buzzing at the moment. We’re still unbeaten and it’s going to stay that way.”

Hatton delivered a ringing endorsement after being on the end of a boxing lesson.

The former European champion, who pushed vaunted WBC light-middleweight champion Saul Alvarez all the way last year, said: “I rate Kell very highly after that.

“He’s the best fighter I’ve faced and I include Alvarez in that. Kell broke my nose in the first round and I didn’t think things could get much worse. I was wrong.”

Brook admitted he had felt the weight of expectation.

“My class told,” he said. “The fans were amazing and I enjoyed the pressure. I’m only human, so of course I felt some nerves. But I absorbed them and used them to my advantage. I always knew he would be a game, tough guy, but numbers one and two in Britain got in the ring and I proved I’m No 1. No one can touch me at this level now, it’s on to a world title fight.”

Amid a raucous and sometimes violent atmosphere, Brook established himself with the cleaner shots, bloodying Hatton’s nose late in the opening round.

A left hook counter by Brook early in the third seemed to hurt Hatton for the first time. Hatton did land a solid right but it was a rare moment of success.

He continued to push for openings but was largely frustrated as Brook’s superior speed and timing continued to give him the advantage and his hard jab worked away at Hatton’s damaged nose.

Hatton was down in the ninth and though referee Marcus McDonnell scored a knockdown, it seemed the Mancunian had slipped as Brook threw a left hook.

Brook looked for the spectacular finish, driving Hatton across the ring, but had to settle for the points win with scores of 118-109, 119-108 and 119-107.