Kell Brook to make comeback in first fight since stabbing

In what will be his first defence of his IBF welterweight title, Brook will take on Dan - the mandatory challenger - at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.

Brook won the title last August with a heroic effort in his bout against Shawn Porter, but while on holiday in Tenerife a few weeks later he was stabbed in both legs in bizarre circumstances when a night out took a dramatic, and very nearly deadly, twist.

"I feel so emotional," said Brook, who has a perfect 33-0 record, and who is widely expected to try and line up a fight with Amir Khan should he win on his return to the ring.

"From last year winning that world title and doing what people didn't think I was going to do. A few weeks later I was thinking would I never walk again.

[ORIGINAL STORY: World champion Brook 'almost died' after Tenerife stabbing]

"It's emotional but I've done everything that I've been asked to do. I've got myself into this position. I've got eight or nine weeks to go. We could have pay per view and had an American name but I've gone with the mandatory.

"I am after this massive fight, I'm getting this out of the way. I know he will be unbelievably hungry but he is in against me and I am going to work twice as hard to keep hold on to it.

"It's going to be an entertaining fight and I cant wait to put a massive show on for the fans."

Liam Happe, British Eurosport boxing writer: Putting speculation over the circumstances behind his unfortunate injury to one side where it belongs, it will be great for Kell to have his 'championship homecoming' after a dramatic and deserved world title win last year. Many felt 'Special K' was another overhyped British boxer but he has proven to be worthy of at least challenging some of the division's elite - and of course the fight that all domestic fans want to see is Brook against Amir Khan. Khan continues to act as if he's too 'box office' for Brook, but once the Sheffield man has had his big moment in front of his home crowd against the mandatory challenger, he can go on to raise interest in the prospective all-British superfight to the point that the payday would be too good for Amir to turn down.