Kell Brook is scared of losing to me, taunts Liam Smith

The Liverpudlian is plotting his way back to the top of the super-welterweight division and wants that route to include a mouthwatering all-British showdown with ‘Special K’.

“He’s not that good and he hasn’t got a world title. I want to fight him because he’s a decent name and I think it’s a very good fight for the British fans,” said Smith about Brook.

Having dominated at 147lbs for some time, the Yorkshireman lost his IBF crown to Errol Spence Jr in 2017 and subsequently made the step up to light-middleweight, where he boasts a 100 per cent record.

Brook has been heavily linked with a return to welterweight to meet WBO champion Terence Crawford, while his rivalry with Amir Khan continues to bubble away, but Smith hopes that he will be the next man to step in the ring with the 34-year-old.

“The Brook fight is a fight I want but I am not going to chase him,” added Smith.

“The Jessie Vargas fight is the more likely fight for me. Brook seems to be playing no part but I think Eddie Hearn should force Brook’s hand if he wants to see the fight.

“I don’t blame Brook, if he gets the Crawford fight then good luck for him but I think a fight with me will be much more competitive.

“I want to be in a fight that people will be glued to, find entertaining and want to watch.

“We know Vargas can fight, he’s a two-weight world champion and it was almost done before Eddie signed Mikey Garcia, which then became the obvious fight to make.

“Amir Khan isn’t scared of Brook, he has fought everyone. His resume is unbelievable, but I think he is scared of losing to Brook. I think it’s similar with Kell that he is scared of losing to me. Too high a risk for a smaller reward for him but I do think there is good money there in that fight.

“If it isn’t Crawford it should be me and Brook.”

Meanwhile, negotiations are said to be under way over a historic fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed thath the two camps are “talking” about how an encounter with all the heavyweight belts at stake could happen.