Quit thoughts of a comeback: Kell Brook told to find his successor instead

The city's brilliant ex-welterweight kingpin hasn't boxed since winning his domestic showdown with British rival Amir Khan in February, 2022.

Recently the Blades-mad boxer has been rumoured to be a potential opponent for Conor Benn or Chris Eubank Jr.

Brook, aged 38, has added fuel to the fire by saying he would not rule anything out.

But others in the sport believe that a glittering career that started 20 years ago should now be put to bed - instead of Brook, in his own words, coming out of the silk sheets of retirement.

Spencer Oliver, the former European super bantamweight champion, who survived potentially life-threatening bloodclot on the brain injuries in a contest in 1998, implied Brook should stay at home and count his millions.

"Trust me on this one Kell Brook doesn't have to get up, he has no purpose to get up because he has got silk sheets, the bank account is looking healthy.

"You know he's feeding well..., all Kell Brook needs to do is find direction in life because when a boxer retires he loses the identity. And when he loses his identity and he's got to feed into to life as a normal civilian - that's where the difficult he is."

In a talkSPORT ringside interview, Oliver, 48, told Brook: "Go and get a manager's license, go and get a trainer's license, bring through the next Kell Brook. That's where we're at."

The Sheffielder, who held the IBF welterweight title from 2014 to 2017, and challenged once for a unified middleweight world title in 2016 against pound-for-pound great Gennadiy Golovkin, isn't short of people suggesting what he should do.

Veteran boxing commentator John Rawling said: "I would hate to see Kell Brook back in a boxing ring.

"There is a lot of difference beating a washed-up Amir Khan - and let's be honest that's what he was - against a very live and with-it Chris Eubank Jr.

"I think there is a serious possibility Kell Brook could go in there and get hurt and come to regret it.

"He has had some great fights, some very hard fights, been in against the likes of Golovkin and taken a pummelling, He has paid for the riches he has got and I don't think he needs anything more now."

Former Ingle gym mate Johnny Nelson also has reservations.

“They’ve got to put out an unbelievable carrot there for Kell to sell his soul.

"And that’s what he’ll be doing.

"I said to Kell, listen, you’ve got to do what’s best for you, but if you do it for the wrong reasons you’re going to have to live with the consequences.

"So if Kell decides he’s going to do it and give his heart and soul to do it then good on him.”

The former cruiserweight champion, Nelson, admitted it was not a contest he would gladly watch.

Brook has twice suffered a fractured eye socket and Nelson said: “Would I want to see him come back? No, I want him to be happy, and that is wealth.”

It was a decade ago when the Dore man realised a life’s dream when he became the IBF world welterweight champion with a majority decision over champion Shawn Porter at the StubHub Center, in Carson, California.

And that, says some of his fans, should stay as the high point of a scintillating career enjoyed by the former Parkwood Academy pupil.