How the bookies are calling Kell Brook v Errol Spence Jr

It’s already been a tremendous 2017 for boxing fans and we’re about to get treated to even more high-class action when Kell Brook and Errol Spence Jr. square-off this Saturday night. 

Bramall Lane in Sheffield is where they’ll meet for their mouth-watering IBF world welterweight title bout with champion Brook (36-1,25KO) facing a tough task against American Spence Jr (21-0,18KO).

The bookies have the challenger as the slight favourite to depose ‘The Special One’ but does that mean ‘The Truth’ will prevail?

Here’s how our boxing trader Tommy Young is calling the action…

Ladbrokes News: Tommy, tell us why Spence Jr. is fancied to do the business and wrestle the title from Brook’s grasp?

Tommy Young: On paper this looks a very close fight. Brook’s tight win over Shawn Porter is the best result either fighter can boast.

But since winning the IBF world welterweight title in that fight almost three years ago, all three of his defences have been against poor opposition and he has that loss against Gennady Golovkin at middleweight.

Spence, on the other hand, has recorded decent scalps in his last two fights against Leonard Bundu and Chris Algieri respectively. The unbeaten southpaw comes into the fight with the better recent form as well as a huge reputation and is justifiably a slight favourite.

LN: Why the concerns about the champion? Are they justified? 

TY: A big question mark over Brook is his ability to make welterweight since he bulked himself up to 159lb to fight Golovkin.

There are concerns he will be drained come fight night and will be missing some of his power and stamina having had to slim down to a weight he isn’t comfortable at any more.

I don’t have too many worries about this as he has been attending regular weight checks to make sure he is losing the weight in a sensible way and has been regularly posting on social media and looks to be in very good shape. On Monday he weighed 148 pounds and one ounce, just one pound and one ounce over the welterweight limit which he should be able to lose comfortably.

LN: OK, how does Brook win this fight?

TY: The home advantage for Brook could prove very important given that he’s going to have a huge amount of support which he is sure to feed off and having the crowd behind you definitely influences the judges’ scoring.

In tight rounds when all Brook’s success brings a reaction from the crowd and Spence gets nothing it can just swing the scoring in Brook’s favour by making his work stand out.

LN: And finally, give us your best bets for this contest?

TY: Based on the above, I think that Brook Decision or Technical Decision at 3/1 is a solid bet alongside Fight To Go The Distance at even-money.

Agree with Tommy?

Let us know in the comments section below!

And click here for the latest Kell Brook v Errol Spence Jr odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing