Analysing the Options for IBF Welterweight World Champion Kell Brook

After brushing aside mandatory challenger Kevin Bizier in March, Kell Brook wants a big fight in the summer.

Since beating Shawn Porter to become the IBF's new welterweight champion in 2014, the undefeated Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) has made three successful defences of the belt.

Bizier was his second mandatory, as he had already defeated Jo Jo Dan in March 2015. Sandwiched in between was a stoppage win over fellow Englishman Frankie Gavin.

A rib injury ruined a planned bout with Diego Chaves at the end of last year, but now Brook is focused on facing one of the major names in the division.

In a video interview with Sky Sports (from around the 16-minute mark), promoter Eddie Hearn revealed he had been asked by HBO about the possibility of The Special One taking on Miguel Cotto on June 18.

Hearn admitted Brook would "walk to America" for the bout.

However, per Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Cotto is no longer planning to fight in June but instead will appear again later in the year.

Still, there are other options out there. In a conversation with Sky Sports' Andy Burton, Hearn talked about five other names: Timothy Bradley, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Lamont Peterson and Errol Spence Jr.

Bleacher Report has taken a look at each potential opponent Hearn mentioned, as well as discussed the possibility of each fight actually happening in the near future.

Timothy Bradley Jr. is probably still smarting from the defeat he suffered in the third and final chapter of his rivalry with Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao.

Desert Storm was knocked down twice during a unanimous points loss on April 9. Having won their first meeting, Bradley has now lost twice in a row to the Filipino.

Still, per Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press (h/t the Daily Mail), the now-retired Pacquiao was full of praise for his opponent: "He's a very tough fighter and a very good counterpuncher."

Bradley Jr. (33-2-1, 13 KOs) is a two-weight world champion who has recorded wins over Devon Alexander, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ruslan Provodnikov and Brandon Rios.

He also beat Junior Witter— a gym-mate of Brook's in Sheffield, England—to claim the WBC super lightweight title back in 2008.

Why it will happen

Hearn has talked up a fight between Bradley Jr. and Brook in the past, telling John Dennen of Boxing News in November 2015: "He [Bradley Jr.] has fought all the top boys, he’s never been overpaid, he’d get a huge pay day for Brook but he will lose."

Why it won't happen

It could happen, but not as soon as July. Bradley Jr. is unlikely to be ready to go so soon after going through a gruelling camp for the Pacquiao fight.

Adrien Broner is nicknamed The Problem. Recently, he has had a problem staying out of trouble.

The talented boxer was handed a 10-day jail sentence for a violation of his probation relating to a reckless driving case, per the Guardian.

That issue, however, is not connected to him being indicted on assault and robbery charges.

According to the Associated Press' Joe Kay (via Yahoo Sports), Broner's indictment on aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony charge and "carries a maximum sentence of three to 10 years." He was also indicted on second-degree charges of felony assault and robbery with sentences ranging from two to eight years.

Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) had both issues hanging over him in the buildup to his last fight against Ashley Theophane on April 1.

He won on that occasion, stopping his English opponent in Round 9.

The bout was meant to be the first defence of his WBA super lightweight title, but the American was stripped of the belt after failing to make weight.

Why it will happen

Broner's failure to make the 140-pound limit last time suggests he's ready to move up. He might have his problems at home, but he would still be a huge draw in Britain.

Why it won't happen

Putting aside Broner's legal issues, the 26-year-old will want a pretty penny to travel overseas. After beating Theophane, he also made clear his desire to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., per Nick Lustig of Sky Sports.

WBC champion Danny "Swift" Garcia is a boxer in demand.

The 28-year-old (32-0, 18 KOs) picked up the vacant title in January thanks to a points win over the experienced Robert Guerrero.

Brook has made Garcia his top target, telling Sky Sports (h/t Tim Hobbs of SkySports.com): "He is a big name, he is good and that would be my No. 1 pick."

However, according to Ryan Burton of BoxingScene.com, WBO titleholder Jessie Vargas is also keen on a unification clash with his fellow American.

Eddie Hearn, meanwhile, predicted in his interview with Sky Sports (fast-forward to around 17 minutes and 30 seconds in) that Garcia could fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., should the latter come out of retirement.

Swift is a wanted man, that's for sure.

Why it will happen

Garcia—still well-known in Britain for his sensational stoppage win over Amir Khan in 2012—would be ready for a summer bout, having had plenty of time to recover from his clash with Guerrero.

Why it won't happen

Will Garcia be tempted to leave the comforts of home to travel to England? That scenario seems unlikely, particularly if Hearn's prediction comes true. A fight with Mayweather Jr. is the mother of all paydays.

Lamont Peterson is ready, willing and able to take on Brook in the summer.

The American (34-3-1, 17 KOs) has not been seen in a ring since coming out on the right end of a majority decision against Felix Diaz in October 2015.

In March, he told Mitch Abramson of the Ring magazine that he wants to be busy: "I’m getting a little older but eight or nine months is not ideal. If I could have it my way, I would fight every three or four months."

Peterson is best known to British fight fans for his points victory over Amir Khan in 2011.

The pair were scheduled to meet in a rematch the following year, only for Peterson to test positive for a banned substance. He was stripped of his titles, while Khan went on to fight Danny Garcia instead.

Since then, Peterson's career has stalled. He has suffered defeats to both Garcia and Lucas Matthysse, with the latter knocking him out in Round 3 in May 2013.

Why it will happen

For starters, it is an easy bout to make. Peterson is keen to fight, while Brook would welcome the chance to defeat someone who holds a win over his big domestic rival, Khan.

Why it won't happen

While durable, Peterson is not one of the leading names in a crowded welterweight scene. It may be straightforward to set up, but it does not set pulses racing.

Every time he is questioned in the ring, Errol Spence Jr. comes up with an emphatic answer.

The 26-year-old from Texas has reeled off 20 straight victories since turning pro, with 17 of those wins coming inside the distance.

His last outing on Saturday saw him dazzle against Chris Algieri in Brooklyn, New York.

While Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan both had to settle for beating Algieri on points, Spence Jr. handed his opponent a first stoppage loss.

He dropped Algieri four times in total before the referee waved off the bout in Round 5.

Spence Jr.—ranked No. 2 by the IBF, according to FightNews.com—made a statement to the rest of the welterweight division with his destructive display.

He then made another in his post-fight interview. Per Peter Gilbert of SkySports.com, The Truth said: "Kell Brook knows what time it is. We got to get in the ring and fight."

Why it will happen

Two unbeaten welterweights with a world title on the line—what's not to like about that? Both men would also be willing to travel, too.

Why it won't happen

Spence Jr. may have jumped the gun in calling for a fight with Brook. IBF championships chairman Lindsey E Tucker told Sky Sports (h/t Richard Damerell of SkySports.com) that the American has to fight Konstantin Ponomarev to determine who will be Brook's next mandatory challenger.

Who would you like to see Kell Brook face next? As ever, Bleacher Report wants you to have your say. Let us know your thoughts via the comments section.