Errol Spence vs. Kell Brook: Prediction, Betting Odds For Boxing Title Fight

After several notable boxing events in 2017, perhaps the most prominent matchup in the most talent-rich division will take place Saturday when British star Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) defends his IBF welterweight championship against American Errol Spence (21-0, 18 KOs) in Brook's blue-collar hometown of Sheffield, England.

The fight is loaded with plot points. First, there's the status of Brook, who seeks to reestablish himself at 147 pounds after the baffling decision to fight superstar middleweight Gennady Golovkin in September. Brook, who had never fought at 160 pounds, was thoroughly outclassed in the London fight, which resulted in a somewhat controversial technical knockout. When trainer Dominic Ingle threw in the towel in the fifth round, the decision seemed more like an admission of regret that the fight was ever agreed upon rather than a judgment call of Brook's ability to complete the round.

Read: Best Pound-For-Pound Boxers In 2017

There are also questions surrounding Brook's legitimacy among the welterweight elite. After the loss to Golovkin, some might forget how effective Brook had been at 147 pounds. The 31-year-old burst on the international scene in August 2014 when he defeated highly touted American Shawn Porter for the IBF title in Los Angeles. In a seesaw battle, Brook pulled off a tight, majority decision victory by firmly establishing his jab and effectively using straight right hands against Porter, a resilient and aggressive boxer with a strong resume.

The victory over Porter, as well as subsequent wins over Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier, kept Brook in the conversation as a top welterweight. In a division that has recently boasted high-profile names like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley, Keith Thurman, and Danny Garcia among many others, Brook's name has remained relevant due to his precise punches and his ability to absorb hard shots. Against Porter, Brook was hit by 130 power shots, while he delivered just 71.

Though he outlasted Porter, a wide disparity in power punches to Spence will be difficult to overcome, with Brook entering the fight as a 2-1 underdog. But whether he wins or loses, the very fact that Brook will step into the ring against a burgeoning fighter like Spence should silence some of his detractors. Even a solid performance in which he lands some quality punches and goes the distance against Spence can go a long way in strengthening Brook's welterweight reputation.

"I relish it," said Brook of his underdog status in a Thursday press conference. "This is boxing. I love a challenge. I've proven these guys wrong before and I'm going to do it again."

This matchup opens up almost as many questions for Spence, who is among boxing's best pound-for-pound fighters. The 27-year-old often looks like a flawless pugilist, brilliantly finding openings to land damaging power punches. There has yet to be an opponent to give Spence anything resembling a competitive fight, and he is coming off a 2016 in which he punished Chris Algieri over five rounds in April and defeated Leonard Bundu in August by a brutal sixth-round knockout.

Indeed, Spence doesn't just defeat his opponents, he dominates and humiliates them. While Algieri and Bundu can't be described as top welterweights, they had both previously performed well against quality competition. But Spence routinely defeated them as he had against lesser-known fighters and will be facing Brook after winning his last eight fights by knockout.

Spence's camp surely knows Brook is a much more polished fighter than anyone he has ever faced. Though Spence is deserving of the praise that has been lavished upon him, he can't truly be accepted as one of boxing's best until he proves himself against accomplished fighters. In Thursday's press conference, Spence acknowledged that he motivated to become a pound-for-pound star and that he hasn't fought anyone of Brook's caliber.

"But I'm going to prove myself Saturday night," said Spence. "I have the skills, I have the ability to beat Kell Brook."

How the mostly soft-spoken southpaw responds to this challenge will be an indication of where he ranks among the best going into the next decade. Entering the post-Mayweather-Pacquiao era, Spence is in competition with Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, Terence Crawford and Thurman as the best boxers under 30 years old.

The pressing matter at hand for Spence is his strategy and Spence conceded there is a "game plan" to defeat Brook. Though he has demonstrated legitimate knockout power, he will have no choice but to respect Brook's impressive chin and jab. Spence probably can't fight with the same level of confidence he did against Algieri and Bundu, and may need to place added emphasis on winning rounds and wearing down Brook. Spence has never needed to show ringmanship and stamina in past fights, but those two elements are expected to be tested against Brook.

Meanwhile, the native of Long Island, New York, will attempt to secure the biggest victory of his career in hostile territory. The crowd at Bramall Lane, which opened in 1855 and has a capacity of 32,702 for Sheffield United matches, will be almost fully behind Brook and they will be quite loud. Aside from a 2015 fight in Toronto, Spence has never fought outside the U.S.

Brook-Spence is another installment of what has already been an entertaining year in boxing. This fight probably won't measure up to the excitement of Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko, or be as competitive as Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs. But it also won't be as one-sided as Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and might have more thrilling moments than Thurman vs. Garcia.

Brook and Spence have plenty to prove and it should be an intriguing fight from start to finish in a year that has had an abundance of them.

Prediction: While Brook will have a spirited crowd on his side, this remains Spence's fight to lose. However, if Spence veers too far from the script he can be prone to some surprise punches by the highly disciplined Brook. Should Spence be overzealous with his combinations, he might get caught by a Brook counterattack. Just one clean power punch could spell doom for Spence, whose chin has never really been tested.

It's crucial for Spence to dictate the tempo in the early rounds, preferably by being aggressive with his jab and targeting the body with uppercuts that can wear Brook down in the late rounds. Expect Spence to use a smart and measured mix of punches while being a bit more defensive to win the fight. Brook, meanwhile, can come away feeling like a winner if he simply connects on some good punches and lasts 12 rounds.

Spence by unanimous decision