Kell Brook has confirmed that his rumoured fight with Brandon Rios this autumn is close to being agreed and will take place at the O2 Arena in London.
The 29-year-old extended his unbeaten record to 35 straight wins when he retained his IBF welterweight title with a stoppage win over Frankie Gavin in May.
A showdown with Rios, 29, appears to be on the cards, though Brook is still hoping that a fight with WBC, WBA and WBO champion Floyd Mayweather Jr can be arranged.
"We're very close to making that fight [with Rios] happen now. It's looking like September 12," Brook told Sky Sports News.
"But there's another fighter who wants to fight on that day and it's Floyd Mayweather Jr. The fact is that if he wants to compete at welterweight, fighting me is the natural choice.
"I want to take that zero and make it a one on his record. If I were him I would keep well away from me."
Brook was speaking at the opening of Tommy Coyle's new community gym in Hull.
Joe Sharratt
