If you were unconvinced of the merit of ending Kell Brook's bout with Gennady Golovkin early, the extent of the Kell Brook injuries will convince you that it was the right call.
Nonetheless, Brook must have woken up this morning wonder what might have been.
No one - not the media or his fellow boxers or even some of his most ardent fans - gave the Brit much of a chance when he stepped into the ring against pound for pound king Gennady Golovkin last night. When the seemingly inevitable loss arrived some 15 minutes later Brook had considerably enhanced his reputation, even in defeat.
Though it could have been so much more.
There might be a pinch of salt required here but Eddie Hearn, who is Brook's promoter of course, stated after the fight that his fighter was ahead on the scorecards before Brook's corner threw in the towel during the fifth round. Now, we're not sure we agree on that one as GGG most likely won 1, 3, 4 and was winning 5 (Brook clearly came out on top in round two) and it seemed that by the time the stoppage arrived, the fight had found the pattern which would continue throughout the rest of the fight.
It's hard to deny, though, that Brook caused Golovkin some problems. GGG seemed occasionally uncomfortable with the angles and the range of offence that Brook was taking. GGG concussive power made several cameos throughout, notably in the first round when he landed a shot to Brooks right eye which set in motion the eventual conclusion to the fight.
We have since learned that the shot that Golovkin threw in the first round (which wobbled Brook considerably, remember) broke his orbital bone. And he fought all the way through into the fifth with it.
.@SpecialKBrook left hospital - confirmed broken eye socket. He has operation on Monday in Sheffield. #Warrior pic.twitter.com/32MQlMoBZx
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) September 11, 2016
It really makes you think how the fight might have progressed if Brook didn't suffer the injury which was so obviously bothering him throughout. In fact, the fighter said he was seeing "three or four" Gennady Golovkin's in the ring when, as we can all imagine, one is scary enough.
