Kell Brook in boxing’s last chance saloon when he fights Mark DeLuca in Sheffield tonight

Kell Brook returns to the boxing ring tonight for the first time in over a year, and quite possibly for the final fight in his career. The former world champion has been beset by injuries and poor form and has admitted that a loss to Mark DeLuca in Sheffield this evening would result in his retirement.

At 33, Brook has been a professional boxer since 2004 but has always struggled to fully convince as a genuine world class fighter. On occasion he has looked unbeatable, a mix of power, precision and swagger, but too many times lethargy has replaced intent and his career has suffered as a result.

40 fights and 15 years into his career, we still have no idea who the real Kell Brook is. On one hand, he boasts one of the best victories in British boxing history with his 2014 world title victory over Shawn Porter, but that remains the lone world class win on his record, which also includes two defeats to Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr.

Losing to fighters of that magnitude is no disgrace at all, they’re two of the best in the world after all, but the physical and mental anguish that came from both fighters has troubled Brook ever since.

Against Golovkin, Brook had jumped up two weight classes. The smaller man by some margin, he went toe-to-toe with the mythical Golovkin, gave out some hard shots of his own and withstood a number of brutal hits from his decorated opponent, despite suffering such a nasty injury early on.

Brook lost the fight and his carefully constructed undefeated record, but earned not only respect, but proof that he can hang with the very best.

After he was pulled out by his corner in the fifth round when he suffered a fractured eye socket, all thoughts turned towards his next fight, back at his natural weight class and at the stadium of his beloved Sheffield United.

But when Spence rolled into the steel city, the homecoming became a home invasion, as the devastating American unraveled Brook, fractured his other eye socket, and stopped him in the eleventh round.

Brook has only fought twice since those defeats, a quick blowout of Siarhei Rabchanka in March 2018, before a hugely disappointing performance against Michael Zerefa later that year.

Though Brook won, the Zerefa performance was the first time the Sheffield man had looked past his prime in the ring. Regardless of personal issues heading into the bout and a change of trainer, Brook seemed a spent force over a year ago. With zero fights since and another year in age, does he really have the ability to turn the clock back?

For many years, Brook was the great hope of British boxing, but now he is one punch away from becoming the forgotten man. Is Mark DeLuca the man to throw that shot? The 31-year-old is confident, but has been hand-picked for this occasion – to be beaten by Brook. Whether that happens or not depends on a number of factors, but mostly – who can deal with the pressure?

This is the most meaningful fight either man has ever had. For Brook, though this isn’t a bout for a world title or even an eliminator, it’s a chance to establish relevance in an industry that is beginning to leave him behind. Beat DeLuca and his next fight could earn him millions. Lose, and that’s it, no more paydays, no more comebacks, just the realisation that the dream is over.

DeLuca has the same pressures. At 31 and with a pretty average career behind him, this is the big opportunity. Win, and he’s golden with plenty of future opponents in line. Lose, and he fades back in the sporting obscurity he came from, another name on Boxrec that sounds familiar but you can’t quite place.

The big hook, for Brook at least, is Amir Khan. Brook and Khan have been linked to fight seemingly forever, but have never put pen to paper. Five years ago, a clash between the two was highly anticipated, but now after heavy defeats for them both, a potential fight has become nothing more than a meme.

Forget the Ross and Rachel from Friends ‘will they or won’t they’. Khan vs Brook is now more like that one person you match with on a dating app who is terrible to talk to but you keep around just in case all your other options fail to materialise. That embarrassing shame when you realise how limited your appeal is – that’s Khan vs Brook in 2020.

If it happens it’ll be the type of event you’d need to watch with a cherryade and a cheeseburger, but to get there, Brook has to win tonight.

Will he? That’s the appeal of this great sport, the potential for redemption or retirement.