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Brook: I feared I would die after holiday stabbing

Kell Brook pull off a stunning upset to defeat Shawn Porter in Los Angeles last month © Getty Images

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Kell Brook says he has gone from the "top of the world to the bottom of the ocean" since he was stabbed in the leg while on holiday last week.

The British fighter pulled off a stunning upset to defeat Shawn Porter and claim the IBF welterweight world title last month, but just weeks later he was in hospital after an attack on the island of Tenerife.

Now Brook has explained how he feared he would die after being hit with a "machete" in an "unprovoked" assault on September 4 while on holiday with his young family.

"It's been, what... three, four weeks since I won the world title?" Brook told the Daily Mail. "Why? Why this? I've gone from the top of the world to the bottom of the ocean.

"It had been a nice holiday. I was on such a high. I'd had three previous world title fights postponed and was waiting for my chance. Training and training and waiting. I go to the US and win the world title in Porter's backyard. It was the dream from when I was a boy.

"Lindsey [Brook's partner] is 20 weeks pregnant with another little girl. I wanted a holiday with her while we can still fly. I'd won the title, got my dream, came back to Sheffield for a few days and I wanted to get away.

"Tenerife was right for us - nice weather, not far to fly, lots of English-speaking people. Me, my partner, our little girl and the bump. It was nice. We went to the zoos, did the excursions, enjoyed the sun and enjoyed each other. We'd been there about two weeks.'

Brook explained that he had been out for a meal with his partner when she decided to head home. He had been chatting to some holidaymakers, who then invited him to a bar. From there, he made his way to a party at the bar manager's apartment after deciding to have his first night out in months.

"In the bar manager's apartment is where the guy was," Brook said. "That's when I first saw him. [After a while] the girl and her partner said they had work in the morning, time to go. This kid was left there.

"He said let's go for a drink at his apartment. I was just going with it. I knew I would feel rough but I was coming back home (the next day) and going straight into training for the next fight. Blow out, as they say. I am not too used to drinking.

"I got to his place, had a few more drinks, and got into a general chat about things. Then suddenly the mood switched. This guy started going on about street fighting.

"[He was saying] a boxer can't compete with a street fighter. I went from being comfortable to it switching without reason. This place, in his apartment, the kitchen and living room is close together. Everything is just a hand away from you. He was in the kitchen and I was in the living room. Without warning or caution, one swipe.'

Having gone from drinking with his alleged assailant, Brook was then attacked by him with a blade he describes as a "machete" about a foot long.

"I was a victim of an unprovoked attack," Brook said. "Without warning, I was getting [hit with a] machete by this guy to my leg.

"The next minute I was trying to find my feet but my leg wasn't working. There was so much blood spurting out and it was a tile floor. I lost my balance and fell. I remember scrambling about, trying to get out. I was just thinking I need to get out. I could see death.

"This guy was stood over me, shouting and swearing. I am trying to scramble away. I was thinking about my daughter, that I need to get away. I was covered in blood, panicking, feeling so drained and weak from the loss of blood. I feared for my life."

Brook cannot remember what happened next, although he appears to have been able to escape and raise the alarm. The next thing he recalls is waking up in hospital after two-hours of surgery to a deep gash in his left thigh.

"I don't know how much blood I lost but I was told it was a lot," Brook said. "I couldn't understand much [but] I heard 'critical'. It was so scary. I was panicking, "Will I fight again? Will I walk again?" [The doctors] couldn't say, but they were so calm."

Now back in Britain, Brook hopes to be running again by late November and insists the attack will not stop him from furthering his career.

Brook is targeting a fight with Amir Khan, with discussions about a possible 2015 bout already underway before the incident in Tenerife.

"I'll smash him," Brook said. "I'm thinking positive because I have to, but believe me, I will get better and then I'll smash Amir Khan."

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