NEW YORK -- Welterweight world titleholder Kell Brook is a frustrated man not quite sure what to do as he ponders his future.
On the one hand, Brook wants to continue to defend the 147-pound title he worked so hard to get his hands on. He had to earn a mandatory shot at the belt before he could get a title shot, and when he did, he got the job done in 2014, traveling from his home country of England to Carson, California, and outpointing Shawn Porter in a terrific performance.
On the other hand, he wants only the biggest fights possible, and they have not been forthcoming. Brook has made three title defenses, but they have all been against lesser opponents, much to his chagrin. They were easy knockout wins against Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier, but those are not the kind of fights Brook wants.
"We've gone back and forth but the fact is, Khan's ego is so great. He wanted to walk out second but I'm the champion. He's trying to sit there like he holds all the aces. He wants more money, he wants this, he wants that. I can bend my back to a certain degree but not that much." Kell Brook
When no other top welterweight would fight him, Brook, a huge welterweight who struggles to make weight, jumped at the opportunity to move up two weight classes to challenge unified middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin at 160 pounds in September.
It was a spectacle and a very exciting fight as a sold-out crowd at London's O2 Arena cheered Brook's every move. He had his moments but was ultimately outgunned by the ferociously punching Golovkin, who broke the orbit bone on the right side of Brook's face in the fifth-round knockout win.
Four months later, Brook's injury has healed, and he is anxious to get back into the ring this spring. But he has a dilemma: Does he give up the title he cherishes to fight at junior middleweight so he doesn't have to kill himself to make welterweight or return to welterweight for big fights he'll have to struggle to make weight for.
The look on Brook's face and the tone in his voice makes it obvious he is struggling with the decision.
"Everybody on my team wants me to move up to 154 pounds, because when I'm training I am a lot better, a lot healthier, have more energy for sparring than I do when I have to kill myself to make 147," said Brook, who sat down with ESPN at ringside to talk during a break during the undercard of the Badou Jack-James DeGale super middleweight unification fight on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. "Making 147 drains the life out of me, but it took me all my life to get the IBF world title, and I still want to defend what's rightfully mine.
"I still want to have the big fights with Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Manny Pacquiao. The big fights."
But the biggest fight of all for Brook would be the long-anticipated all-British showdown with former unified junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan (31-4, 19 KOs), with whom he has gone back and forth with in the media for several years. That is the fight Brook really wants, but it is extremely difficult to make given the demands of each side.
"I'm a big name in world boxing now. Everyone knows who I am now. I've been in with Golovkin and I did what no other middleweights have done to him and I've never lost at welterweight, so if we could make the Pacquiao fight and I had to make 147 that's a fight I would get up for every day. That's an exciting fight for me. It's the kind of fight I've been wanting for years." Kell Brook
"I want fellow Brit Amir Khan," Brook said forcefully. "I come to America and everyone here tells me they want to see that fight. Can you imagine what it's like in Britain? The demand for that fight is so great. I don't want to let it slip through my fingers. I wouldn't be happy if I ended my career and let that slip through my fingers. I need them big fights to get up for."
And here is Brook's problem: Even if he stays at 147 pounds to fight Khan, he would have to give up his title because he has a mandatory defense due against the extremely talented Errol Spence Jr. If Brook wants to keep the belt he must fight Spence (21-0, 18 KOs) next, and that fight is far more dangerous than one against Khan -- and worth a fraction of the money. Because as good as Spence is, he does not have the kind of wide name recognition as Khan does.
"I know I have a mandatory with Errol Spence. He's a very talented fighter but not really heard of in the UK or even America, but we all know he can fight," Brook said. "It's hard to get up for guys like this, because he doesn't have the name yet. I want the big money fights if I'm going to make 147 pounds."
Brook said if he can't get a big fight, specifically with Khan, he would strongly consider fighting Spence. Soon the calendar will force his hand.
"We're reaching the deadline. I have another month," Brook said of the IBF's deadline to either commit to the mandatory bout or relinquish the title. "Even if we can make the big fights with Pacquiao or Khan, I'm in a situation where I still might have to defend against Spence because I don't want to lose my title without losing it in the ring. But does Khan want the fight? Pacquiao is fighting another guy (Australia's Jeff Horn in April). We're talking to Pacquiao about the fight in the fall, November. I'm basically frustrated.
"I just had a massive, great fight with Golovkin, and I exposed him to a certain degree. I lifted him off his feet in that fight. I got caught with a perfect shot in the eye and broke my eye socket and couldn't see out of my right eye. Now I want another massive fight."
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has been in talks with the Khan camp about the fight, but from Brook's point of view it's been very hard to get a deal done.
"We've gone back and forth but the fact is Khan's ego is so great," Brook said. "He wanted to walk out second but I'm the champion. He's trying to sit there like he holds all the aces. He wants more money, he wants this, he wants that. I can bend my back to a certain degree but not that much."
Brook said he would like to have a resolution one way or the other quickly. He seemed sincere when he said he did not want to leave Spence hanging.
"I know being in the position with Spence that I don't want to keep him sitting there," Brook said. "I know the feeling when you have to wait and wait and you can't get your chance. Spence deserves his chance."
Whomever the 30-year-old Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) fights next, he said the injury he suffered against Golovkin has healed and he is ready to train at full steam.
"I'm feeling brand new. I feel great," Brook said. "I'm looking forward to training again and testing it out."
Hearn and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum have been talking about a possible Pacquiao-Brook fight, but it wouldn't be until November. Still, it's just the kind of big fight Brook wants.
"I'm a big name in world boxing now. Everyone knows who I am now," Brook said. "I've been in with Golovkin and I did what no other middleweights have done to him, and I've never lost at welterweight, so if we could make the Pacquiao fight and I had to make 147, that's a fight I would get up for every day. That's an exciting fight for me. It's the kind of fight I've been wanting for years. I'd have to be meticulous making the weight, but I'd do it. But I really want to fight Khan next.
"I'll even bend a little on the negotiations, and I shouldn't because I'm the one who is unbeaten at welterweight and champion. He's been knocked out. Three times. He can't dictate to me. I am very passionate about hurting this guy. I want to stand over him while he's laid out on the canvas after I knock him out and say to him, 'I told you so! I told you this would happen!' I'm going to knock him clean out. Brook-Khan is exciting. The trash talk, the press conferences, the weigh-in, the fight. It would all be so electric."
At times it sounds as though Brook has made up his mind that he'll give up the title that means so much to him if the fight with Khan can be finalized. Then again, Brook is a proud fighter, and maybe he will defend against Spence. Or maybe he'll do what his team wants and fight at junior middleweight.
The frustrated man continues to ponder.