Bramall Lane press conference: Kell Brook and Errol Spence Jr promises to be a tasty show

But his first trip to Bramall Lane - where Sheffield United fans serenade their team with the chip butty song - will certainly have left a sour taste in his mouth.

Spence was appearing at a press conference to promote his May 27 assault on Sheffielder Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight belt.

Four hour hours earlier he and his team had just climbed off a flight from his native America and they were probably a bit jet lagged for the menu of bitter accusations and admonishments coming his way.

As is often the way, Brook’s trainer Dom Ingle was first to expertly stir the pot.

He poured doubt on Spence’s credentials as an elite American fighter and made mince-meat of opposite number Derrick James when it came to comparing the boxers’ previous opponents and achievements.

He said Spence would “learn a lot” at the punishing hands of the champion, who would have too much power and experience for him.

Brook then took over the verbal harassing of the Texan-based foe, saying he would be “a beast” on the night as he rose to the challenge of fighting in front of Bramall Lane crowd.

Softly-spoken Spence and James both tried to respond but were effectively drowned out. If the fight is as one-sided as the press conference, Brook is in for an easy night’s work.

The thrust of the US message was that the Englishman would struggle to make 147 pounds again.

While it’s true Brook goes through hell to slim down, he asserted that he’d never failed to make weight before and was hitting all the targets currently set for him, with weeks to go.

He said he’d “stuck his heels in” to remain at welterweight and was capable of bullying opponents to defend his belt. “I want to give the fans a treat - they are in for a magnificent fight. ”

It was all a tasty hors d’oeuvres for the Summer’s big showdown.