By Phil D. Jay

World-rated welterweight Kell Brook (24-0, 16 KO’s) knows he will have a tough task to gain a world title shot when the unbeaten former Lonsdale Belt holder faces Rafal Jackiewicz (38-9-1, 19 KO’s) on October 8th at the Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield in a WBA title eliminator.

The 25 year-old is on the back of a career best performance against former world champion Lovemore N’dou in June and is just one step away from potentially challenging champion Vyacheslav Senchenko.

The Yorkshire fighter has respect for the Pole’s fight record and despite ‘Braveheart’ heading towards his mid-thirties, knows he faces a world level operator next month.

“Jackiewicz has become better with age like an old wine,” Brook told WBN.

“He has beaten (former world champion) Jan Zaveck and that shows he is a world-class fighter.

“He is also rated at #6 in The Ring Magazine rankings so has to be respected.”

Jackiewicz, 34, has won two in a row since losing a rematch with Zaveck in his only world title challenge in September 2010, his first loss in six years and may see this as his final chance to gain another shot at a world title.

Phil D. Jay covers the boxing scene for worldboxingnews.net