• Boxing

Brilliant Brook demolishes Jackiewicz

Kell Brook became the first man to stop Rafal Jackiewicz © Getty Images

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Kell Brook passed another audition for a world-title shot by defeating Rafal Jackiewicz, forcing a sixth-round stoppage following a masterful performance in a WBA welterweight eliminator in Sheffield.

With the victory, Brook extended his unbeaten record to 25 fights, defended the WBA Inter-Continental title - and became the first man to defeat Jackiewicz within the distance.

The fight was a total mismatch from the first bell, proving decisively that Brook is worthy of a tilt at a world title. However, his options are narrowed by the fact he competes at welterweight, a division where two of the major belts are held by Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao, neither of whom are likely to face him any time soon.

His promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed preliminary discussions have been held with Andre Berto, the IBF champion, while WBA king Viacheslav Senchenko is also a possibility.

Brook looked in a different league to his opponent across the opening three sessions, boxing expertly and patiently - and always making it count when opting to attack. The Brit's jab homed in on Jackiewicz, who was showing obvious signs of swelling after a third round in which he failed to land a single punch.

The home favourite opened up in the fourth, letting his hands loose as a shell-shocked Jackiewicz began to anxiously look towards his corner, having once again failed to make any impression. Jackiewicz did well to weather a fifth-round storm, his legs remaining steady despite being clipped by two heavy shots - but Brook really was in cruise control, with nothing coming back at him.

Brook stormed into the centre of the ring after leaving his stool at the start of the sixth, apparently taking the handbrake off in order to hunt a stoppage. He did not have to wait long, as a helpless-looking Jackiewicz was pulled out by the referee with 24 seconds to go before the round ended.

"I didn't really get out of second gear," Brook told Sky Sports. "The first three rounds I was in first gear. I was stepping it up slowly but surely. [It was a fair stoppage] because he was about to go, his face was a bit of a mess. I caught him with a few nice shots, he wobbled badly and I was just about to step it up."

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