Kell Brook is set to step into the ring for the first time since his victory over Amir Khan in 2022, as he prepares to face Eisa Al Dah on February 13, 2026, in Dubai.
This matchup will headline a tribute event honoring the late Ricky Hatton, who was scheduled to battle the 46-year-old Al Dah (8-3, 4 KO) in a December comeback that would have been officially sanctioned rather than an exhibition. This would have marked Hatton’s first match since 2012. Hatton was discovered deceased in his residence on September 14 at the age of 46.
Similar to many others, the 39-year-old Brook was deeply affected by Hatton’s demise, and he is now returning to honor the “Hitman” in what appears to be a one-time fight rather than a complete career restart.
Following Hatton’s death, Brook expressed in a social media message that the British boxing legend “inspired me and countless others both inside and outside the ring.”
“I felt a genuine bond and comprehension of Ricky,” he stated last month. “I could resonate profoundly with his battles against addiction and depression. We were both just kids hailing from a council estate who discovered boxing and were lucky enough to achieve success in it. However, alongside that success and the pinnacle of highs can come the depths of lows that only a select few truly grasp.
“The challenges outside the ring and when the spotlight fades are the conflicts that remain unseen. We have lost not just a boxing legend but a life legend who would do anything for anyone.”
Brook (40-3, 28 KO) initiated his professional career in 2004 and captured the British title in 2008, prevailing over Barrie Jones, before successfully defending it four times. He triumphed over Shawn Porter to secure the IBF welterweight title in 2014, defending it three times prior to a bold transition to middleweight, where he was defeated by Gennadiy Golovkin in 2016. He also encountered losses to Errol Spence Jr and Terence “Bud” Crawford upon his return to the 147 lb category.
Additionally, Brook notably fought against and overcame Ricky’s brother, Matthew Hatton, in 2012. His much-anticipated bout with Khan in 2022 resulted in Brook winning by sixth round TKO, after which both fighters announced their retirements, and neither has been in the ring since.
