The shadow of Floyd Mayweather stretched across boxing ? and the Atlantic ? on Saturday night even though the great man himself was still taking it easy after treating Canelo Alvarez to a master-class in world championship prize-fighting.
This side of the storm-tossed pond, in Sheffield, Kell Brook rediscovered one of the fundamental truths of boxing as epitomised by Mayweather.
?Hard work and dedication,? is the mantra of the world?s No 1 pound-for-pound boxer and Brook enjoyed the rewards of proper physical conditioning as he made short work of former world champion Vyacheslav Senchenko.
Over there, in Atlantic City, the 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins was driven to extend his record as the ring?s oldest world champion by the notion that he might clamber aboard the richest gravy train in sporting history before ending his career.
?Money? is not only Mayweather?s pseudonym but his raison d?etre. And while he rakes in most of the mega-bucks, his opponents get to take a few million dollars to the bank as well.
If Brook is to join the big earners, the lesson in commitment needs to be permanently learned.
He presented himself for work on Saturday in pristine health, fit, on the weight, bursting with energy, ready to fight.
As a result of getting himself into the kind of shape which has wavered at times in his career, he now finds himself being acclaimed as a world champion in waiting.
Maybe so, as long as the roar of the crowd and the salute from the media prove more gratifying to him than all the hanger-on back-slapping at his after-fight party.
More importantly, had he not been fully primed for action it is unlikely he would have ridden out the crisis which came when Senchenko shook him to his boots with a meaty right hook.
Scary memories of how he almost succumbed to the less accomplished Carson Jones, in their first fight, alarmed onlookers. But this time Brook was in condition to recover on his feet and inflict the fourth round stoppage beyond which more lucrative engagements are beckoning.
By avenging Ricky Hatton?s comeback-spoiling defeat by Senchenko, Brook will have endeared himself to many of his doubters. Although it needs to be said that this fight confirms the wisdom of the Hitman?s decision to make his retirement permanent.
Senchenko is the most notable victim yet on Brook?s perfect 30-win record but the Ukrainian?s age, coming up to 37, and his reputation as a light puncher have to put this victory into context.
It is the next step which will really begin to define Brook.
