Kell Brook vs. Frankie Gavin: Final Odds, Fight Time and Predictions

The only remaining welterweight belt not held by Floyd Mayweather Jr. is on the line this weekend, as undefeated IBF champion Kell Brook defends against fellow Brit Frankie Gavin at 2 p.m. ET Saturday in London.

Brook demonstrated he was one of the division's most talented younger fighters when he took the belt from Shawn Porter last summer. He followed that up by stopping Ionut Dan Ion in four rounds this past March.

So Brook is the obvious favorite in this fight. Odds Shark has him listed as a between minus-1400 and minus-1600 favorite. At up to plus-900, Gavin would pay off handsomely if he can come through with the upset. 

It's a fool's bet, though. Brook is the more athletic and powerful fighter in this bout. Eight years ago, in a three-round amateur match, Gavin would have been a good pick.

In a grueling 12-round fight, he has a limited set of tools to deal with a force like Brook. 

A Big Moment for British Boxing

This spring has been a great time for boxing, and May has been a nice month for the English scene. Last weekend, James DeGale became the first-ever Olympic gold medalist from England to win a world title as a pro, when he edged Andre Dirrell for the vacant IBF super middleweight title. 

This weekend, at the O2 Arena, English eyes will turn to the welterweight division. Promoter Eddie Hearn was anxious to talk up the excitement this week on Twitter:

The entire boxing world flourishes on the strength of enthusiasm built up on the local and national levels first. Modern prizefighting has its roots in the United Kingdom, and the fans there remain devoted. A strong British scene is good for the entire sport. 

A Potential UK Superstar

When Kell Brook faced Shawn Porter last August for the IBF belt, nearly the entire U.S. boxing media sold him short. I had Porter winning in my own official prediction, as did every single expert predicting for Ring TV.

It's not that American writers didn't think Brook was talented. But he had shown some conditioning issues in earlier fights that were long gone when he faced Porter. Against the fellow unbeaten welterweight, Brook executed an outstanding game plan and won a clear, if competitive, decision.

Brook has made a habit of stopping talented fringe contenders like Dan Ion and Vyacheslav Senchenko while winning decisively over fellow world-championship-level fighters like Porter. That's the kind of resume that forces a fighter up the ratings.

While Amir Khan, who also fights this weekend, seems to be mentioned as a perpetual potential opponent for Manny Pacquiao and/or Mayweather, Brook is the truly exciting welterweight from England.

An Historic Amateur Career

Gavin was an outstanding amateur fighter. In 2007, he became England's first-ever amateur world champion. He qualified for the 2008 Olympics but did not compete when he failed to make weight.

As a professional, he has developed consistently, though with some caution. He beat a well-past-his-prime Junior Witter in 2012 and lost a tight split decision to Leonard Bundu in 2014. 

Brook is a solid level or two above Bundu, so Gavin is going to need to be better than he's ever been to even make this competitive. 

He is a tricky southpaw, and he should have success in spots at making things awkward for Brook. He's arguably the best technical fighter Brook has faced. The challenger should win some rounds and extend the fight. 

But this Boxing Forum 24 poll gives a good indication of how serious fans view this fight. Of 37 voters, 25 picked Brook by stoppage; another nine picked him by decision. 

This will be the fight that helps Brook establish himself as the biggest rising star on the British domestic scene. He'll win decisively against Gavin and look impressive doing it.

English fans will demand a Brook-Khan showdown as a result. I hope they get it.