• Welterweight

'Gutted' Brook fears for next world title chance

Kell Brook is "absolutely gutted" to not be fighting Devon Alexander © PA Photos

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Welterweight Kell Brook fears he will now have to wait until 2014 to get another world title fight, but insists he had no choice but to pull out of his scheduled meeting with IBF champion Devon Alexander.

Brook, 26, was due to face Alexander in New Jersey on May 18 - but the bout was postponed for a third time after doctors confirmed the Sheffield fighter had a foot injury that would prevent him entering the contest in peak fitness.

With Alexander now widely expected to search for another opponent for the May date, rather than attempt to re-arrange the meeting once again, Brook admitted he was "absolutely gutted" to be sidelined.

"I am absolutely gutted as this is all I've dreamt about since I was nine years old," Brook told Sky Sports. "It seems like this fight has been going on forever as I've been training since November and it's been one thing after another.

"I have a stress fracture in my fourth metatarsal and my doctor told me that there was no way I could box or run for three or four weeks and that's the time when I am getting to my peak fitness.

"I would have had a week before the fight to get my sparring done and that's when you start tapering things down, and for the fight of my life I couldn't go in there at anything less than 100 per cent."

Brook's recent win over Hector Saldivia, the 29th success of his unbeaten professional career, confirmed his No. 1 contender status in the IBF rankings. But, with his injury expected to keep him out until September, Brook admits he does not know when he might next get the chance to fight for the world title he has long dreamed about.

He added: "I should be ready [to fight again] in September time but will it be for a world title? I don't know. Do I deserve to box for a world title in my next fight? I don't know.

"A lot needs to be talked about and we need to decide what we need to do."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.