Kell Brook to face mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan on March 28
IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) will make the first defence of his title against mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan (34-2, 18 KOs) on March 28 at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.
Brook, 28, won the belt by majority decision against American Shawn Porter in August. He was supposed to make his first title defence late last year, the opponent had not been announced, but he suffered a serious leg injury in a shocking machete attack while he was on holiday in Tenerife in September. Now Brook has made a swift recovery and he returns to action in his hometown, taking on the 33 year-old Romanian Dan.
"After everything that's happened over the last six months, it feels incredible knowing I will be defending my world title in Sheffield," said Brook.
If he gets past Dan, as expected, Brook will be hunting down the big names in his division.
A bumper domestic clash with Amir Khan is top of Brook's hitlist for 2015, while superstars such as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao also hold titles in this weight class.
"I want to get this mandatory out of the way and then target those megafights that are out there in the division.
"There is no chance that I will be underestimating Jo Jo Dan, though, as I know how he will be feeling, having worked so hard to get into the mandatory position just like I did, but I will be working twice as hard to keep the belt that I earned."
Promoter Eddie Hearn said: "To see Kell walk out in front of a sold-out crowd in his hometown of Sheffield is going to be an emotional night. Kell has gone to America and beaten an American to win the world title, it's a massive achievement and it shows that he is a very, very special fighter.
"Jo Jo Dan is a tough fight. There's no way that Kell can be anything but 100 percent to beat him, and I have no doubt that he will be. There are some massive fights out there for Kell if he can take care of Jo Jo, but his focus is solely on Dan and I expect him to shine on March 28."