Tony Bellew - I WANT THE FIGHT!!! - Looking a bit silly now

[Chambers2]

Don't understand this thread at all!!

Bellew came in at very short notice and offered to take the fight and save the bill. It turns out he couldn't make the weight and he gave a catchweight option, why does that make him look silly??? The same people would've probably moaned saying Tony lacked ambition if he's have just sat back and done nothing.


It's also put some more fire into an inevitable (IMO) Bellew Vs Cleverly fight

[apophenic]

Weight loss is a weird thing mate - King G on here is the man to explain that. Even if he was a stone overweight a couple of days ago - or even yesterday - all I'm saying is I'm sure he believed in his own mind he could do it.

He's fu**ed up, for sure but I'd be amazed if there was any malice in it. I know you're mega pissed off mate, and I totally sympathise.

Ian, FW has openly stated that Tony told him he was only 4lb over the limit, this is clearly not the case, comes into the prees confrence like a mad man and then tries to get a catch weight. Sorry Pal that is not on

Bellew stated on Twitter earlier this eeek that reports he was a stone over were untrue he was 6.5 pounds over and waiting to finalise. Clearly that was bollacks.

he wanted the fight and at that point was tryin to convince everyone he could make the weight...he gambled...and it didn't come off...

but he's hardly in the same class as braehmer is he...

the put himself out there for the fight....at what woulda been 3 days notice...so he would clearly have been disadvantaged.

would it have been so hard for cleverly to have accepted a catchweight in a fight the fans clearly wanted to see?

i don't blame clev for not takin it...but if everyone's gonna pillory bomber for his weight issue then i think we should bring this up too.

how much did valuev have on haye?

how much will klitschko have on him?

more than 13lbs.

if cleverly wanted this fight as badly as he made out in the presser then he shoulda accepted it at the catchweight...

[Asterix]

if cleverly wanted this fight as badly as he made out in the presser then he shoulda accepted it at the catchweight...

Warren rejected the idea of a catchweight, not Cleverly, and rightly so. This fight can happen later on.

[apophenic]

if cleverly wanted this fight as badly as he made out in the presser then he shoulda accepted it at the catchweight...

Warren rejected the idea of a catchweight, not Cleverly, and rightly so. This fight can happen later on.

fine.

then the person responsible for the fight not happening is warren and not bellew.

if people want to blame bomber then clev is just as culpable...

it's like this - the original fight falls thru....with 3 days left....so bellew steps up...knowing he'll be disadvantaged because he isn't fully trained....in my mind the catchweight was always a possibility....yet warren rejects this as this would disadvantage cleverly!? well bombers going to be carrying the bigger disadvantage as he isn't fighting fit and is untrained.

so all that was required was both fighters to enter the ring slightly disadvantaged.

yet bellew seems to the only one getting any grief over this...welsh posters are saying 'why should clev give any weigth away' - well why should bellew give up a proper training period?? the answer is - to keep the bill together and put on a fight the fans want to see...

cleverly aint god...i know he seems to be viewed as some sort of golden child but if bomber was goin to the ring less than 100% trained then i don't see why clev should be too worried about giving away some weight.

[Asterix]

if cleverly wanted this fight as badly as he made out in the presser then he shoulda accepted it at the catchweight...

Warren rejected the idea of a catchweight, not Cleverly, and rightly so. This fight can happen later on.

fine.

then the person responsible for the fight not happening is warren and not bellew.

The reason why the fight is not happening is because the BBBofC determined that Bellew would not be able to make weight safely enough. A catchweight fight is a silly idea, as then Cleverly can't defend his title AND has to give up weight. The current outcome is the best one.

[stujones]

I blame more of Warren than Bellew, look at the hours that had passed between Bellew's first tweet that we wanted the fight, then he said the weight isn't a problem. Then he said no announcement but the fight fight is getting closer.

Then even the morning of the press conference Powell announced that it wasn't set it stone no confirmation, then came the confirmation, then came the press conference, then the fight was off.

Between all of those hours there wasn't someone saying "sorry Tony, not this time". I heard on sky, Warren not exactly criticising Bellew but basically saying Tony exagerated his weight to him..... get the scales out Frank. This is not Saurland he can blame now, this is not the "I waited to pick him up on the Airport and he just didn't turn up" - which is potentially feeasable. Fair play, Warren said the buck stops with him - and it does, but there is no way this fight should have been announced - plenty of opportunities to weigh him surely.

Bellew has now said, and I'm not quite sure what means that he shifted 13lbs of the required 20 lbs. Does this mean he was 20 lbs over the Light Heavyweight limit, does that even mean he was 20 lbs over the pre check weigh in (which would have been higher than the light heavyweight limit). If he is walking around 2 months before a fight 20 lbs over the limit, I agree with the poster who says it might be time to seriously think about moving up.

[Asterix]

Bellew has now said, and I'm not quite sure what means that he shifted 13lbs of the required 20 lbs. Does this mean he was 20 lbs over the Light Heavyweight limit, does that even mean he was 20 lbs over the pre check weigh in (which would have been higher than the light heavyweight limit). If he is walking around 2 months before a fight 20 lbs over the limit, I agree with the poster who says it might be time to seriously think about moving up.

He would have been 20 lbs over (195 lbs) when he accepted the fight, and managed to get to 182 lbs when he was last checked. The last 7 pounds are what Bellew would have worked off in training over the next 2 months, with him then being able to make the weight safely.

[stujones]

Judging by the gauntness, I think those 7lbs (if this is the case) is going to be difficult to do. These 13lbs loss was not done "properly" either, not as it would if he had 8 weeks to prepare. I just think its becoming too much of a struggle.

And I think anyone who agreed that he should be given a chance knowing he had to lose nearly 2 stone in two days should be a shamed. Even if he would have done it, it could have been catastrophical.

[MightyWarrior]

Must admit was worried about Bellew when I saw the press conf, looked far too gaunt, so they've done the right thing here. Shame for Celv because this fight now means nothing to the average fan - the guys a journey man and is gonna get whalloped.

I'm only interested in watching the Groves fight now, down the pub. FW needs to make Clev/Bellew next up.

And I'm sure he really did think he was going to make weight, wishfull thinking maybe, but easy to believe you could lose 7 pounds with a sauna involved.

[tear up]

From Twitter:

TonyBellew
I'll go back into camp now and prepare for Ovil McKenzie in July!! My aim is to shine there and move onto bigger things, fingers crossed
8 minutes ago

TonyBellew
I'm truly devastated and just wish I could have done it!! I tried till the end, I always will! Thank you all for the support again. (gutted)
10 minutes ago

TonyBellew
I hid away and spent 2 1/2 hours in a Suana!! People who think I didnt try are crazy, I lost 1/2 pound!!! I'd hit a wall an that's the truth
12 minutes ago

TonyBellew
Once I heard about this I tried my upmost best with the weight, if the board gave me a few more hours I'd have tried an tried!!
13 minutes ago

TonyBellew
I was not a stone over, I got to 7 pounds coming down from big numbers, the board wouldn't give me anymore time!! I'm devastated!! Truly!!

If this is true you have to feel for him a bit but why put yourself forward if you have any doubt whatsoever over the weight thus raising the hopes of fans etc. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of people would have spent their money on the event because of that press conference and rightly will feel angry.

bomber take my hat off to u you have balls simple as that it will come down the line mate great effort but good luck in your next fight buddy your the man

[stujones]

Must admit was worried about Bellew when I saw the press conf, looked far too gaunt, so they've done the right thing here. Shame for Celv because this fight now means nothing to the average fan - the guys a journey man and is gonna get whalloped.

I'm only interested in watching the Groves fight now, down the pub. FW needs to make Clev/Bellew next up.

And I'm sure he really did think he was going to make weight, wishfull thinking maybe, but easy to believe you could lose 7 pounds with a sauna involved.

If it was just 7 then yes its fine, but it was 7 pounds remaining from 20 he required to lose when Breahmer pulled out (and I would say he means of the 48 hour weigh in - so possibly not 175). He was at least 195 when Brahemer pulled out - he needed someone to say "not this time".

I don't feel Bellew has let himself down in anyway, to lose 13 lbs in a day shows dedication and made a fair attempt.... people surrounding him though have let themselves and British boxing fans down by confirming it is one, when realistically it wasn't even close to the weight.

[MightyWarrior]

If it was just 7 then yes its fine, but it was 7 pounds remaining from 20 he required to lose when Breahmer pulled out (and I would say he means of the 48 hour weigh in - so possibly not 175). He was at least 195 when Brahemer pulled out - he needed someone to say "not this time".

Yep too true, very unrealistic, but get the impression he kept the 20lbs over info to himself for the first 24 hours, must have slept in the bloody sauna.

[Glyn Leach]

I have to disagree. I'm 100% sure that Bomber thought he would make the weight, and thought the Board would allow him to do it.

Anyone who thinks he's gone through this thinking otherwise, that he's just done it for the publicity or whatever, is way off the mark.

Only my opinion.

Agreed, particularly with the part that says he thought he would be allowed time to make the weight. When Braehmer fell out, Sky weren't happy with the suggested replacements. Maybe because of the widespread support shown from people such as ourselves, they decided Bellew was the man they wanted. The way Sky tend to operate these days, it wouldn't surprise me if they made contact with Bellew, telling him they wanted him — much in the same way as they openly courted Carl Froch. If that was the case, Bomber probably thought the job was his, nailed on, that he'd be given a break by the Board.

But he should have been straight with FW about his weight — and so should his camp. Frankly, I don't think Arnie would have gone along with that, a former pro knows better. Bomber was 13st 1lb at the Board's test weigh in, according to 5 Live. He was required to be within 3% of his championship weight, which would have been around 12st 12lbs (excuse my maths). God knows how much he lost to make 13st 1lb, but a full day before the test weigh in at 6.30 last night, he was Tweeting that he was only 61/2lbs over the limit, which either means he was lying or he put on a pound and a half before the test weigh in.

I can't blame FW for this, what's he supposed to do? The fighter tells him he's within the weight, he has to accept it in good faith — and believe that the fighter is professional enough not to lie. FW needed to stage a presser with an opponent for Clev, Sky will have wanted this to sell PPVs, and it was getting dangerously close to fight time. But the check weigh-in would have taken place before the presser and the announcement in an ideal world. And why the Board's Area representatives didn't conduct such a weigh in in Liverpool, before Bomber left for yesterday's lunchtime presser in London, is beyond me. The Board has a responsibility not just for the safety of fighters, but for the image of the sport — by not conducting their check weigh in until yesterday evening, after the presser, they took the risk of making boxing look amateurish and, frankly, wank if Bomber would be announced as the replacement opponent and then not allowed to fight. The sport really doesn't need rubbish like this — and the governing body played a part in allowing this fiasco to happen.

I don't particularly blame Bomber here, although he most definitely should have been honest about his weight because it would have saved a lot of grief all round. Bomber's a real fighter and he will have wanted the opportunity, not just for himself but for the financial well-being of his family. I can see where he was coming from and in some ways it was admirable. Unfortunately it was also selfish. By wasting people's time like this he affected other people's lives, such as those on here who rebooked hotels, made travel plans, bought tickets on the promise of Bomber appearing. His behaviour cost people money, which will have affected them and their families. But he's a fighter, he wants to fight, and I love the bloke for that — he's got a fantastic attitude. I can't be too down on him over this and I hope others aren't too, there's an awful lot that's good about Bomber Bellew. But he cocked up here, no question, and those who encouraged him to try and get away with it — which does not include FW, who took Bomber at his word, as he has a right to expect he could do — have a lot to answer for because they've made the sport look cheap and shoddy.

[stujones]

Glyn I think Frank could have done a whole lot more. The Braehmer thing you could have stated the distance thing, his team not to be trusted etc and its plausable..... Tony was in Liverpool, not a million miles away, is well known to be having some problems boiling down under normal circumstances. Go out to Liverpool and check it yourself, or send a goffer to do it.

At least postpone the presser untill Tony was down in London AND the weights were checked. Even if it was unable to arrange a weighin in Liverpool, he should have said "hello Tony, pleased to see you - step on the scales".

He was basically on Sky sports, saying "buck stop with me BUT (always a but when that is said) I didn't realise Tony was so over the weight" - he could have found out at least before the presser.

[Glyn Leach]

It wouldn't really have been possible to postpone the presser Stu, not by more than a few hours, anyway, which wouldn't have made any difference to the Board conducting their weigh-in at 6.30. And IMO, re Bomber, FW's representatives in Liverpool should have been Bomber's trainers, who went along with this rather than held their hands up. This is one of the biggest problems with boxing, management is not management as we know it, it isn't hands on and it can't be, with fighters spread around the country. However, the Board of Control does have Area Councils all over the country and I believe the onus of responsibility is on them to check on fighters in their locality — after all, they represent the governing body that will eventually say yes or no, it is their responsibility. Once again, the Board of Control has shown no control whatsoever. I don't think anyone is blameless in all this, but I think it's a bit easy and a bit obvious to point the finger at FW alone.

[SteveDow]

Agree with everything you say Glyn but Warren, as the promotor, must do more than simply take a fighters word for it in this situation. This is especially so when there were significant doubts over the weight in the first place.

The points you make on people losing money through buying tickets/PPV etc completely echo some of the posts I made on this last night and I don't think Warren or Bellew come out of this well.

[cocobongo]

Calling a World Champion a 'fcukin rat' when you can't even do the weight is pretty disrespectful.

Tony needs to beat someone in the top ten before I can think about taking him seriously again.

Why is that any different to Clev offering to go outside with Bellew which is what he was responding to its generous to call clev a world champion aswell he was shocking in his fight for the interim title

[Crazyboy]

Agree with everything you say Glyn but Warren, as the promotor, must do more than simply take a fighters word for it in this situation. This is especially so when there were significant doubts over the weight in the first place.

The points you make on people losing money through buying tickets/PPV etc completely echo some of the posts I made on this last night and I don't think Warren or Bellew come out of this well.

Completely echo that and your other post last night Steve, disgrace that people went out in good faith to buy the fight based on Bellow being there, only to be told thats its now off and clev is fighting some other guy that i don't have as much interest in?

Like i said in another thread, if i bought a red car and paid the money out for it to be delivered, only to be told that they only have it in blue and to like it or lump it........you'd be pretty pissed off eh?

[SteveDow]

Agree with everything you say Glyn but Warren, as the promotor, must do more than simply take a fighters word for it in this situation. This is especially so when there were significant doubts over the weight in the first place.

The points you make on people losing money through buying tickets/PPV etc completely echo some of the posts I made on this last night and I don't think Warren or Bellew come out of this well.

Completely echo that and your other post last night Steve, disgrace that people went out in good faith to buy the fight based on Bellow being there, only to be told thats its now off and clev is fighting some other guy that i don't have as much interest in?

Like i said in another thread, if i bought a red car and paid the money out for it to be delivered, only to be told that they only have it in blue and to like it or lump it........you'd be pretty pissed off eh?

Exactly mate. I just think the whole thing has been farcical. Fortunately, I didn't go out and buy a ticket/the PPV but plenty of others would have and they will rightly feel hard done by here.

[Glyn Leach]

Agree with everything you say Glyn but Warren, as the promotor, must do more than simply take a fighters word for it in this situation. This is especially so when there were significant doubts over the weight in the first place.

The points you make on people losing money through buying tickets/PPV etc completely echo some of the posts I made on this last night and I don't think Warren or Bellew come out of this well.

I don't think anyone except Clev comes out of this well to be honest Steve and I do accept your comments about FW. However, realistically, he is in Hertfordshire, Bomber is in Liverpool, and he should be able to rely on if not Bomber, Bomber's trainers — they earn their money from FW (percentages of Bomber's purses) to be his eyes and ears in Liverpool IMO, they have a responsibility to him. Even with a major promoter such as FW, his actual organisation, the people working with him, isn't that massive and they all will have been involved in trying to organise the press conference. But you're right, in an ideal world FW would have been able to get Bomber's weight checked before the presser — and if you remember, Bomber turned up a little late for the presser, whether this was to avoid being weighed before the event is something only he will know. Bloody mess mate.

[dondada]

I blame more of Warren than Bellew, look at the hours that had passed between Bellew's first tweet that we wanted the fight, then he said the weight isn't a problem. Then he said no announcement but the fight fight is getting closer.

Then even the morning of the press conference Powell announced that it wasn't set it stone no confirmation, then came the confirmation, then came the press conference, then the fight was off.

Between all of those hours there wasn't someone saying "sorry Tony, not this time". I heard on sky, Warren not exactly criticising Bellew but basically saying Tony exagerated his weight to him..... get the scales out Frank. This is not Saurland he can blame now, this is not the "I waited to pick him up on the Airport and he just didn't turn up" - which is potentially feeasable. Fair play, Warren said the buck stops with him - and it does, but there is no way this fight should have been announced - plenty of opportunities to weigh him surely.

[dondada]

FW is faaaar too long in the tooth to take people at their word.

The idea that he couldn't get someone he trusted to weigh the lad before all this sh1te is ludicrous to me.

[SteveDow]

Hopefully lessons will be learnt for the future as it is always the fans who suffer most here. Are you planning to write an article on the fiasco Glyn?

[stujones]

FW is faaaar too long in the tooth to take people at their word.

The idea that he couldn't get someone he trusted to weigh the lad before all this sh1te is ludicrous to me.

We've seen around a month ago how Fiasco's can help sell a PPV.

[Glyn Leach]

Plenty of opportunities for his trainers or the Area Council to have weighed him, yes. And FW should have been able to trust them. They should have done the right thing. But FW doesn't have a Liverpool office, the Board has representatives in that Area, and Sky were pushing for Bellew — the Polish guy was on standby from early yesterday, as some of you will be aware due to a PM from a fellow Boxrec poster, and FW was going to go with him. But Sky wanted Bellew and the pressure was on FW to put him in. And Sky hold the money and so the power.

Nobody is without blame here but it's unrealistic to knee-jerk blame FW for anything that goes wrong with something he's involved with. It shows a lack of understanding in the way boxing is run. There are a whole bunch of people involved in this fiasco, including Sky, the Board, Bomber and his trainers. But the tendency of some to just go 'Warren's fault' is palpable and those who take that line do themselves a disservice in choosing an easy answer, sometimes over and over again. There is an awful lot to be taken into account in any given situation in boxing and to understand it fully it's necessary to have an open mind. Nobody's right all the time, nobody's wrong all the time.