By Victor Salazar

New York - IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KO’s) has been idle from the ring since he was stopped in five rounds by middleweight Gennady Golovkin (36-0, 33 KO’s) last September at the O2 Arena in London.

To take that fight, Brook moved up two weight divisions. But now, Brook has a mandatory defense looming with Errol Spence Jr.

For the last few weeks, Brook has been hunting for fight with his British welterweight rival Amir Khan (31-4, 19 KO’s), but talks have died down after both sides were very far apart on the terms.

With a purse bid looming next Tuesday, Brook's promoter Eddie Hearn now shifts to negotiating with Spence (21-0, 18 KO’s).

“It's a great fight,” Hearn told BoxingScene.com. “It's a 75-25 split for Kell so I’d like to think we win the purse bid and get the fight in the UK which is a big advantage for Kell Brook.”

There many out there who felt Brook would vacate the title and not fight Spence - because the risk might not be worth the reward at this point in Brook’s career. But Hearn says Brook is focused on keeping his world title.

“I think Kell’s decision at the moment is to fight Errol Spence,” stated Hearn. “But we still have a week. I’ve made Errol Spence offers and they haven't come back to me, maybe the want to go to purse bids. If i was representing Errol Spence in a 75-25 purse bid and Errol Spence is the fighter they think he is, I wouldn't be sending Errol Spence to purse bid and the UK.”

Hearn also cautions the team which represents Spence - advising them that they should be careful what they wish for.

“You’re all saying it's a tough fight for Kell Brook but it's also a tough fight for Errol Spence. It's a great fight but it's not as big as it should be and that's my problem. My responsibility is to get a fighter in a fight where his reward equates it and that fight isn’t right now but Kell just wants to keep his belt,” Hearn said.