Sheffield's Kell Brook faces a gargantuan task on Saturday night as he bids to become the first welterweight to jump up and claim the middleweight world title since Emile Griffith conquered Dick Tiger way back in 1966.
When news that Brook (36-0, 26KOs) would challenge Gennady Golovkin (or GGG as he's otherwise known) for the IBF, WBC and IBO middleweight titles broke, it was met with utter disbelief. For weeks it seemed that fellow Brit and actual middleweight, Chris Eubank Jr. would collide with the Kazakh only for negotiatons to fall apart.
Much has been made of the jump up in weight for Kell Brook and rightly so. 'Special K' has never fought anyone at 160lbs and he's now jumping in to a ring with someone whom many regard as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. He might not quite deserve that title just yet but he is certainly the most fearsome fighter on the planet.
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You have to feel for Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs). He has bags of talent and hits like a mule, yet he hasn't been able to showcase his talent in the big fights he deserves. Plainly put, he gets ducked because he's too good.
So credit where credit's due, Kell Brook has got massive cajones taking on the fight that no one wants. In terms of reputation, it's a win/win situation for Brook. If he gets knocked out, so what? He's taken a fight against the best fighter in a division two weights higher. If he wins, he'll become part of one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history.
Can he win though? The current IBF welterweight king is a well-schooled boxer, as are many of the fighters that hail from Ingle's Gym in Sheffield.
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Herol Graham, Johnny Nelson, Prince Naseem Hamed and now Brook were all taught to fight in both orthodox and southpaw stances comfortably and Brook will need to rely on tricks of the trade like that if he wants to outfox a incredibly skilled fighter like GGG.
Brook will perhaps have the edge in hand speed although it's hard to say if the jump up in weight will negate that. Brook's jab is one of the most important weapons in his arsenal and can count his as one of the best jabs in boxing. In his last six fights he landed nine jabs per round which is second only to, you guessed it, GGG.
Brook fans can also take solace in the fact that Golovkin can be hit. Whether it's a lapse of concentration, the fact he likes to carry some of his fights for longer than he needs to or he just plain doesn't mind getting punched in the face, Golovkin has shown in several of his fights that his defence can be compromised.
Given he has a 91% KO ratio, Golovkin is somewhat naively considered little more than a big puncher when in fact he is one of the most exceptionally skilled fighters going.
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GGG is devastating on the counter-attack and is utterly relentless when on the front foot, seemingly landing punches from all angles at will. The granite-fisted 34 year-old is the 1/6 favourite for a good reason.
4/1 underdog Brook has a chance, albeit a slim one. Although he looks to adapted well to jump up in weight, a fight against the top middleweight on the planet might be a bridge too far for the 30 year-old.
Expect Brook to put on a spirited performance, maybe even get a few of the earlier rounds under his belt before being worn down by the middleweight champion in the mid to latter rounds. There's definite value in backing Golovkin to end proceedings between rounds seven and nine at 3/1.
Recommended bet: Golovkin to win between rounds 7 & 9 (3/1)
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