Kell Brook suffers fractured eye socket again on his way to being stopped by Errol Spence Jr and losing his world title
Sheffield-born fighter couldn't respond to the roaring crowd as the American's stock continues to rise
KELL BROOK fractured his eye socket AGAIN as he lost his IBF Welterweight world title to Errol Spence Jr.
Last time out against Gennady Golovkin, the Sheffield fighter fought on with a fractured right eye socket, before his corner pulled him out.
And on Saturday, in front of 27,000 fans at Bramall Lane, the home of his beloved Sheffield United, the curse came back to strike again.
But it was the left eye that ultimately cost him his world title, seemingly badly injured in the seventh round.
That led to Brook taking a voluntary count in the 11th round, before his corner and the referee agreed that he couldn’t continue.
Speaking in the ring after the devastating defeat, promoter Eddie Hearn said that Brook had showed terrific fight after “breaking his eye socket”.
Brook is expected to be assessed by medical teams to see if it is as bad as Hearn believes.
“It was a very tough fight,” Brook said. “Spence is one of the best I’ve been in with – if not the best.
“I got caught in the seventh round in the eye and over the rounds it was getting worse.
“It was a very competitive fight, I thought I was in it – I’m devastated.
“When I walked out the tunnel and looked up to see everybody it was amazing to see. I’m so proud of myself to have brought this to Sheffield.”
It was a blockbuster of a fight in his home town of Sheffield.
The early stages were fairly even, but Spence’s wiry-like actions on the counter constant proved troubling for Brook.
Going into the 10th it was hard to call which way the fight was going to go. But in a snap, that all changed.
Brook was struggling to see out of his left eye, injured after an accidental clash of heads in the seventh.
Spence seized on this opportunity in devastating fashion, sending Brook crashing to the canvas with a flurry of bombs.
Incredibly, Brook stayed in the fight, even landing a huge uppercut to rock Spence, but the curtain was soon to come down.
A devastating left to the body from Spence saw Brook rock back, and as Spence moved in for the kill, Brook took a knee for his second count.
As he rose to his feet, he, his corner, and the referee knew the game was up.
Speaking in the ring after losing his world title, Brook complained of “not being able to see properly” saying that “when you can’t see, there’s nothing you can do”.
But he refused to entertain any talk of these eye injuries curtailing his career, saying that he will chat with Eddie Hearn and “see where the money is” for his next fight.
But first, more than likely, will be a trip to the hospital.
