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Kell Brook and Jessie Vargas are close to finalizing a deal for Aug. or Sept.

Fighters Network
20
May
Shawn Porter (R) receives a punch from Kell Brook, who would take Porter's IBF welterweight title by unanimous decision on Aug. 16, 2014. Photo:  Naoki Fukuda

Shawn Porter (R) receives a punch from Kell Brook. Photo: Naoki Fukuda

Welterweight titleholders Kell Brook and Jessie Vargas are close to finalizing a deal to meet in a unification match in either August or September in England, Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Brook, told RingTV.com on Friday.

“Terms are pretty much agreed and now we are drafting contracts,” Hearn said in an email. “Potential dates are Aug. 20, 27, and Sept. 3. We are just waiting for soccer (schedules) to come out. All being well we hope to sign early next week.”

Top Rank VP Carl Moretti said that venues in London and Manchester are being considered and suggested that talks are headed in the right direction, though nothing has been signed. Both sides acknowledged a U.S. broadcaster is still up in the air: The fight isn’t on Showtime’s radar as of yet, and it’s not clear if HBO has interest in the fight.

A spokesman for HBO said the network doesn’t comment on proposed fights. Vargas won his title in March on HBO and served as the color commentator for the Spanish language broadcast of Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan on HBO PPV earlier this month. Brook has fought several times on Showtime, including his title-winning effort against Shawn Porter.



The matchup between titleholders seemed to burst from left field since RING No. 8-rated Vargas and Brook didn’t appear to be eyeballing the other. Brook had been asking for a showdown with countryman Amir Khan and Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) was begging for a rematch with Timothy Bradley.

While it’s not the all-British affair that Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) was pining for, Vargas represent a step up from his recent competition. The RING’s No. 1 ranked welterweight was last pushed in a win against Porter in 2014. Since then, the IBF champion demolished unheralded Kevin Bizier in two rounds in March and stopped Frankie Gavin and Ionut Dan Ion in 2015. Still, Brook is regarded as one of the best, if not the best in his division.

“Brook beats every welterweight in the world,” Hearn told RingTV.com. That concept should be put to the test against WBO titleholder Vargas, who stopped Sadam Ali in March to win the title and is looking good under new trainer Dewey Cooper.

 

Mitch Abramson is a former reporter for the NY Daily News and can be reached on Twitter at: Mabramson13.

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