• Welterweight

Hearn eyeing May date for Brook-Alexander

Kell Brook's record reads 29-0 © PA Photos

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Kell Brook's promoter Eddie Hearn expects his man's IBF world welterweight title fight with Devon Alexander to finally take place on May 18 after two postponements.

Brook was originally slated to meet the Missouri fighter on January 19 but Brook's camp called for it to be moved to February 23 when the Sheffield boxer rolled his ankle in December.

But two weeks before that date Alexander pulled the plug with a bicep injury, only for Floyd Mayweather Jr to claim, the next day, that Alexander was the front runner to face him on May 4.

Yet Hearn always maintained his belief that Mayweather was not genuinely intending to fight Alexander and was merely trying to speed up his reportedly-stalling negotiations with Robert Guerrero.

Guerrero is now confirmed as Mayweather's next opponent and Hearn believes that the unbeaten Brook's maiden shot at a world title will be sewn up soon.

"I think 18 May is the likely date, we're just waiting for confirmation," Hearn told BBC Radio Sheffield. "I'm confident by the end of the week we'll have a confirmed date."

For the third proposed date, a third different location was being lined up; Washington DC. Lamont Peterson's defence of his light-welterweight world title against Lucas Matthysse was slated to take place there on May 18 and Hearn wants to attach Brook's title tilt onto the bill.

However recent reports suggest that the fight has been moved to Atlantic City in New Jersey.

Before the switch Hearn said: "I believe that fight will go ahead and the Brook v Alexander fight will be attached to that. It would be a great show and not too far [Washington DC] for British fans to travel. It's tough for Kell because as a fighter you need a date to focus on. Once he gets back into full training, this would be a perfect date for him."

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