In just ten professional bouts, 27-year-old Dallas, Texas, native Burley Brooks has had an up-and-down roller-coaster career. From being a highly touted undefeated prospect to a forgotten about never was, to a legitimate contender. In a night that seemed to favor the A-side fighter, Brooks paid that no mind and dominated former IBF Super Middleweight Champ Caleb Traux in front of his hometown crowd at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Brooks has not won a fight since just before the pandemic he knocked out Melvin Russell in the first round in Mississippi on the undercard of Ugas-Dallas Jr. It was a sensational eye-opening knockout that established Brooks as a legitimate 168-pound prospect. After a 10-month layoff, he dropped a split decision to Marco Delgadoat AT&T Stadium on the undercard of Spence-Garcia in December 2020. He then dropped another decision to Cameron Sevilla Rivera by one point on two cards because of a point deduction due to low blows. The two rematched four months later at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the Pacquiao-Ugas undercard, and Brooks had to settle for a draw. It's been 22 months, nearly two years since then Brooks had not fought since. Until Saturday night at the Armory. Brooks was supposed to be an easy target, an opponent that made the 39-year-old former world champ look good so that Truax could either ride off into the sunset and retire or look so impressive that he could take one more big fight.
That was not to be the case. Brooks, who had never fought a 10-rounder before, or even an 8-rounder, took a major step up, and he saved his career-best performance for his best opponent. Brooks dominated the 10-round affair, and it was never in doubt. After a bit of a slow start, Brooks got cooking in the third with a flurry that backed Truax backward. The North Texan got going in the second half after a fairly even first half of the 10-round affair, outworking and outlanding his opponent. A flurry at the end of the round again dazed the former champ. Brooks connected with a left to the body just after the halfway point of the eighth round. Brooks was deducted a point in the ninth for losing his mouthpiece for a fourth time but remained undeterred and dominated the final stanza. A five-punch barrage from the Texansent Truax into the ropes with about 1:50 remaining in their fight. Brooks slammed on the gas and dominated the remainder of the round. The cards were academic and were all in favor of Brooks 96-93X2 and 98-91.