Boxing
Ex-Crawford and Golovkin rival announces shock boxing comeback after three-year layoff
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Former world champion Kell Brook will return to the ring after a three-year absence early next year, with the former opponent of Terence Crawford and Gennady Golovkin set to fight Eisa Al Dah in Dubai.
Brook has not fought since defeating domestic rival Amir Khan in February 2022, meaning by the time he makes his ring-walk on Friday, February 13, 2026, it will be just six days shy of a four-year gap between his two fights.
Al Dah had been set to face Ricky Hatton prior to the legendary Brit’s passing in September. Brook's bout with Al Dah will honour Hatton with tributes to the ‘Hitman’, as well as supporting the recently created Ricky Hatton Foundation, a charity with the goal of helping those struggling with mental health, namely using sport and raising awareness.
A statement from the event’s organises, Agenda Dubai, read: "The UAE’s first professional boxer, Eisa Al Dah will face the UK’s former world champion Kell Brook for the WBC (union belt).
"Featuring a full undercard of UAE Residents v Manchester UK fighters, plus celebrity guests.
"The evening will feature tributes and honour the legendary Ricky 'The Hitman' Hatton and support the newly formed Ricky Hatton Foundation.
"This is a night of boxing not to be missed brought to you by The Agenda, the home of boxing in the UAE."
The IBF champion at welterweight between 2014 and 2017, Brook stepped up to middleweight to challenge unified 160lb champion Golovkin in 2016, with the Kazakh knockout artist stopping him in the fifth round and inflicting a first career loss upon the Sheffield-born fighter.
After the Golovkin fight, Brook dropped back down to 147lbs, losing his IBF title to American Errol Spence Jr by 11th-round knockout.
Briefly campaigning as a super welterweight, Brooks would return to welterweight for a third time, taking part in one final world title fight in 2020.
He was stopped by Crawford after just four rounds as ‘Bud’ defended his WBO welterweight title before going on to collect the remaining three belts against former Brook opponent Spence Jr three fights later.
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