Should the timeline hold, the 37-year-old former IBO champion is set to experience a full calendar year out of the ring for the first time since 2020. Eubank has spent the past several months recovering from an intense, grueling 2025 rivalry with Conor Benn, a period during which he also celebrated the major personal milestone of becoming a father. Despite stepping away from active competition temporarily to focus on family and physical recovery following back-to-back fights, there appears to be no intention whatsoever on Eubank’s part to hang up his gloves. In fact, various rumors and industry reports regarding his next career move have begun to gather serious momentum during the second half of the year.
While a trilogy fight with Conor Benn would appear to be a logical and lucrative option for both men—and has indeed been mentioned by Benn’s promotional camp—Eubank’s next steps could take him in a different direction entirely. Instead of running it back for a third time with Benn, Eubank could instead find himself squaring off against Kell Brook, a battle of veteran British stars that has captured the attention of promoters and fans alike.
Kell Brook, the former welterweight world champion widely known by his moniker "Special K," put together an illustrious career that saw him taste defeat just three times, with those losses coming exclusively against elite, top-level operators at the very peak of the sport. Brook officially retired from professional boxing in 2022 following a career-closing victory over longtime domestic rival Amir Khan. However, the temptation of a lucrative and high-profile comeback has persistently lingered, and it now appears that a return to the ring against Eubank is rapidly moving toward finalization.
Speaking in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans, BOXXER founder Ben Shalom—who previously promoted Brook for his final professional appearance against Khan—revealed that the eagerly anticipated matchup between Brook and Eubank is virtually over the line.
"I believe Eubank will return in February," Shalom stated regarding the timeframe of the comeback. "I think Kell Brook is the fight that fans want to see, I think that’s the fight that sells. I think the fight happens. Pretty much, terms are agreed on both sides."
The prospective bout presents fascinating tactical and physical dynamics, particularly regarding the weight class. When Brook and Khan collided in 2022, they met at a catchweight of 149 pounds. However, the Sheffield-born fighter would undoubtedly have to climb significantly higher on the scales to meet Eubank. Eubank has recently experienced well-documented and severe struggles in making the traditional 160-pound middleweight limit, an issue that heavily compromised his performances during his two-fight series against Benn, where strict rehydration clauses added an extra layer of difficulty to his pre-fight preparations. Given Eubank’s physical frame and his recent difficulties with weight management at 160 pounds, negotiations regarding the weight limit for a Brook clash will undoubtedly be a crucial factor, though Brook has consistently maintained that he remains open to testing himself against the biggest names in and around that weight division.
Throughout his retirement, Brook has remained an interested spectator on the fringes of the domestic boxing scene, keeping a close eye on the dramatic Benn-Eubank rivalry while remaining consistently open to the prospect of stepping through the ropes once more to face either man should the right opportunity materialize.
For Eubank, a potential clash against Brook also introduces intriguing promotional questions. Eubank has enjoyed a long and stable working relationship with BOXXER, headlining several major events under Shalom’s promotional banner for his last seven consecutive fights. However, the veteran contender was recently linked with a somewhat unexpected and high-profile potential partnership with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the business side of his impending 2027 comeback.
As negotiations progress and the targeted February return date draws closer, the British boxing public looks poised for yet another massive domestic event as two of the sport’s most recognizable names prepare to lock horns.
