The Most Embarrassing Tony Bellew Moments

[johnswan1]

Credit to James Garner, Bleacher Report.

5. "Plastic World Champion"

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2273 ... tch/page/2

Here, Bellew attacks Cleverly for being a "plastic world champion" in his WBO title run, a claim which has some basis in fact.

That said, it was not the Welshman's fault that the previous champion Juergen Braehmer pulled out of their original title fight with an injury before being stripped of the belt due to inactivity, having spent time in prison.

A win over Braehmer would have given Cleverly true legitimacy but the fight never quite came off and Cleverly was upgraded from interim to full champion without facing the German.

But Bellew makes a fool of himself when he states that his own fight with Cleverly, "shouldn't have even been [for] a world title—that was no better than a domestic title [fight]."

Because, of course, back in 2011 when Bellew had the chance to beat Cleverly for the WBO title he was strangely quiet about the title's questionable global value.

And had he won, you can bet he would have paraded himself as a bona fide world champion. Except, despite his claim in the video to have "achieved the same" as his rival, he lost and never held the belt which Cleverly would successfully defend on three further occasions.

The irony of his defeat to the "plastic world champion" was only amplified by this rant taking place whilst Bellew tightly hugged to his chest the WBO 'International' cruiserweight title, a belt that even the WBO does not recognise as a proper world championship belt.

4. My Dad Is Bigger Than Your Dad

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2273 ... tch/page/3

Both Bellew and Cleverly's runs at light-heavyweight came to destructive ends, with Cleverly knocked-out in Round 4 by Sergey Kovalev for the WBO title, before Bellew suffered the same fate in Round 6 of a challenge to Adonis Stevenson's WBC belt.

US broadcaster HBO was building momentum for a fight between the two winners before Stevenson, who never sounded keen on the prospect of facing the Russian, decamped to rival broadcaster Showtime.

That seemed to precipitate a fight between Stevenson and then IBF and WBA champion Bernard Hopkins but, tired of drawn out negotiations with the Canadian, who is advised by Al Haymon, Hopkins instead jumped back to HBO to fight Kovalev.

At that time, it was inevitable that Bellew would pick Stevenson as the division kingpin, while Cleverly favoured Kovalev, the positions which make their respective defeats more respectable.

Bellew insisted that Hopkins had handpicked Kovalev as an opponent and, with full confidence in his position as the boxing sage of Merseyside, predicted a win for the veteran American. Meanwhile, Cleverly thought the Russian, "a different animal," would win.

The Welshman was proved correct in convincing fashion when Kovalev won every round on the judges' scorecards, scoring a knock-down along the way in the most comprehensive defeat of Hopkins' career.

Beyond the cringe-worthy scene of the two British fighters arguing over whose victor is better, now that Kovalev has three of the world titles to Stevenson's one, there is little doubt left as to who is the most feared man in that division.

3. Bellew of the Week

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2273 ... tch/page/4

This is not the first boxing platform to recognise the entertainment factor of the Scouser's foot-in-mouth moments. The Boxing Asylum podcast has long featured a segment called 'Bellew of the Week.'

It's a weekly award given to the most comical quote of the week from the world of boxing and the eponymous Bellew is by far the most decorated winner in its history.

In the video above IFL TV interviewer Kugan Cassius braves the wrath of the intemperate Liverpudlian by asking him about it.

Despite claiming never to have heard of it, Bellew seems aware that the podcast is usually around two hours long, is hosted by a Scottish presenter, and that Eddie Hearn has been a recent guest.

Whilst initially trying to laugh it off by admitting he's said "some outlandish s--t," the cruiserweight can't resist a lengthy diatribe delivered straight down the camera lens to his online fanclub.

He eventually tells the podcasters that, anyway, "I don't give a s--t what you say"—which might be more believable had the very mention of them not just prompted him into a heated tirade.

In a beautiful circle of life moment, this is likely to secure Bellew another weekly award very soon.

That his surname is a near-homonym of 'Bell--d of the Week' (or, if you are unkind, a synonym) only adds to the circumstance.

Elsewhere online, Check Hook Boxing have created Bellew Bingo, while YouTube's John Daniels presents a video for advanced viewers, The Tao of Bellew.

2. "Don't Ask Me Questions!"

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2273 ... tch/page/5

Here, Bellew appears on talkSPORT radio and goes off on one at boxing pundit Steve Bunce, refusing to answer his questions.

Given how easy it is to offend Bellew it is hard to pinpoint exactly how Bunce fell foul of him but in another video, the Scouser clarified that he felt Bunce, "labelled me as someone who is fake," who "fought in a daze against Stevenson."

One can infer that the criticism came due to the contrast between Bellew's pre-fight antics and his actual performance on the night in his WBC title tilt.

Having labelled Stevenson "a midget" and promised to knock him out, Bellew turned up in belligerent form at the weigh-in, butting heads with the champion.

Then on fight night the Englishman fought tentatively, keeping out of range and only offering a low punch output before the Canadian caught up with him, stopping him in Round 6.

Bellew protests that, "I tried to fight to a gameplan", and maybe this was indeed his best strategy to win the fight.

That doesn't change the fact that it is embarrassing to promise a big, exciting KO win and then to fail to engage much with your opponent or throw many power punches before getting knocked-out yourself.

Just as it is embarrassing to agree to appear on a sports radio show as a boxer and then refuse to answer questions from the station's boxing pundit because he criticised you once.

1. 'Hold Me Back'

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2273 ... tch/page/6

Here, Bellew makes his audition for the WWE but unfortunately he forgot to rehearse his act beforehand with trainer Dave Coldwell.

After knocking out trial horse opponent Julio Cesar Dos Santos, the Scouser intermediately turns his attention to his rival, kicking an advertising hoarding at him before motioning at him with his arm.

As the slanging match escalates, Bellew raises the stakes further by coming through the ropes towards the Welshman. Unprepared for an actual physical confrontation, he waits for Coldwell to intervene.

But he doesn't. So Bellew just backs off limply and returns through the ropes. And then continues to shout.

Even had Coldwell got the memo and held Bellew back, it would hardly have been convincing given that the former flyweight is literally a foot shorter than his charge.

It can be said that Nathan Cleverly did incite the situation by wearing a baseball cap backwards throughout, as well as a sleeveless hoodie, seemingly without irony.

This currently stands as Bellew's most embarrassing moment but given that we still have the weigh-in to go, a Bellew favourite, and that he is capable of foolishness both in victory and defeat, who knows how long this will keep the top spot.

[Black Sam Bellamy]

What about the very first Presser when Bellew is a stone overweight and still giving it the big un ?

[DazDiCanio]

Telling everybody on SS that Hopkins chose Kov for a reason and he will beat him.

[Counter-puncher]

It can be said that Nathan Cleverly did incite the situation by wearing a baseball cap backwards throughout, as well as a sleeveless hoodie, seemingly without irony.

.

[nitro5912]

I'm surprised he hasn't claimed his WBC silver belt he won isn't more prestigious than the wbo world belt.

Didn't he draw and have to fight chilemba again with that one. Also the whole saga with Stevenson.
I know boxers lose their head, some do it well, others can't control in fight mode. I think bellew doesn't have fight mode he has public mode and private mode. Public is the bell end and private is his other side.

[danamba7]

I'm surprised he hasn't claimed his WBC silver belt he won isn't more prestigious than the wbo world belt.

Didn't he draw and have to fight chilemba again with that one. Also the whole saga with Stevenson.
I know boxers lose their head, some do it well, others can't control in fight mode. I think bellew doesn't have fight mode he has public mode and private mode. Public is the bell end and private is his other side.

True. Came across OK when filmed with his family etc, also seems to be liked within the boxing community. However this doesn't come across well in interviews/press conferences etc.

[Rexob]

F me come on he's just selling the fights give him a break!

[lillywhite14]

F me come on he's just selling the fights give him a break!

Anyone gonna buy this shite though? Waste of time making yourself seem like a pudendum when nobody cares.

[stevieb_8006]

This seems very childish and bitter. If you know boxing and have an IQ over 4, then you know he's selling a PPV. People should really stop worrying about what boxers are like 'personally'. They sound like a bunch of women talking about Strictly.

[Deadendgeneration]

This seems very childish and bitter. If you know boxing and have an IQ over 4, then you know he's selling a PPV. People should really stop worrying about what boxers are like 'personally'. They sound like a bunch of women talking about Strictly.

Understood, but he constantly come off badly in the media. He used to post here and came across well away from all that.

[Ian1973]

Bellew has kids to feed didn't you know? If I here him say that once more I swear I'll throw something at the telly. I think he must be the only active boxer in history to have kids.

The bloke is a berk.

[TheLeprechaun]

"This midget is getting sparked out!"
"I'm going to destroy him for his crimes in the past!"
"I don't respect him as a fighter or a man and I'm willing to die in the ring to fulfill my dream"

Then goes on the run for several rounds before taking some left hands and turning his back to his opponent and getting stopped.

[TheLeprechaun]

I get the feeling he's really jealous of Kovalev too. Kovalev is EVERYTHING that Tony wishes he could be in the ring. Fearsome puncher who obliterated Clev and is pretty much ruling his division as arguably the most feared man in boxing.

[MarkMcBurney]

This seems very childish and bitter. If you know boxing and have an IQ over 4, then you know he's selling a PPV. People should really stop worrying about what boxers are like 'personally'. They sound like a bunch of women talking about Strictly.

Even promoting a PPV there are lines you don't cross IMO, and talking about alcoholism and young girls at a press conference is well past that.

F me, look at the stick many gave Groves for his Froch build up, that wasn't a touch on this.

[Gazmac81]

Kovalev = Perfect example of a real Fearsome guy , Not brash big mouth and lets his fists do the talking
Bellew = Loud mouth wannabe Destroyer who people wouldnt think twice about going in with,

I get the feeling he's really jealous of Kovalev too. Kovalev is EVERYTHING that Tony wishes he could be in the ring. Fearsome puncher who obliterated Clev and is pretty much ruling his division as arguably the most feared man in boxing.

[Punchy Joe]

To be fair Bellew is a world class puncher especially at cruiserweight I think any opponent woud respect that a lot and
I certainly wouldn't like to get twatted off him in a street fight.
Although Bellew has gone way over the top in the build-up to this, so hope clev beats him.

[Rexob]

F me come on he's just selling the fights give him a break!

Anyone gonna buy this shite though? Waste of time making yourself seem like a pudendum when nobody cares.

People do care though?

[handsofstone]

To be fair Bellew is a world class puncher especially at cruiserweight I think any opponent woud respect that a lot and
I certainly wouldn't like to get twatted off him in a street fight.
Although Bellew has gone way over the top in the build-up to this, so hope clev beats him.

Tony's only KO'd Brudov and Dos Santos at CW so calling him a world class puncher is a bit hasty , there's a lot of solid chins in the Cruiserweight division,Huck's from the Froch mould,Hernandez got KO'd from Braithwaite years ago but ive seen him take some flush shots since and recover,Lebedev got wore down from a drug infested Jones and Drozd got stopped from Arslan whose also durable,throw in Afolabi,a lot of tough whiskers

In saying that all they guys apart from WBC champ Drozd have had long hard careers and all surely all will be showing signs of decline soon

[Jack B]

To be fair Bellew is a world class puncher especially at cruiserweight I think any opponent woud respect that a lot and
I certainly wouldn't like to get twatted off him in a street fight.
Although Bellew has gone way over the top in the build-up to this, so hope clev beats him.

Tony's only KO'd Brudov and Dos Santos at CW so calling him a world class puncher is a bit hasty , there's a lot of solid chins in the Cruiserweight division,Huck's from the Froch mould,Hernandez got KO'd from Braithwaite years ago but ive seen him take some flush shots since and recover,Lebedev got wore down from a drug infested Jones and Drozd got stopped from Arslan whose also durable,throw in Afolabi,a lot of tough whiskers

In saying that all they guys apart from WBC champ Drozd have had long hard careers and all surely all will be showing signs of decline soon

Agreed, and he hardly showed he was a 'world class' puncher at LH did he? The only world rated opponents he has faced thus far in his career are Cleverly, Chilemba and Stevenson. Hardly blasted them out........

[handsofstone]

Being called a "gay lover" by a 6'7 lump in a Brian Harvey baseball cap on live TV is pretty embarrasing

[milpool]

Say what you want about Bellew but all he's doing is trying to feed his 3 kids with his fists, it's as simple as that. He carries power in those fists and it's likely that he'll knock that fookin rat out.

[Rexob]

Say what you want about Bellew but all he's doing is trying to feed his 3 kids with his fists, it's as simple as that. He carries power in those fists and it's likely that he'll knock that fookin rat out.

Agree with that first bit I think there could be a bit more of it from boxers makes it more interesting to listen to bollox talk during the build-up it's funny a lot of it. The second bit I think Cleverly by close decision points again.

[palooka]

Some people might call it a dump but to me it's palace.

[whiskey]

Say what you want about Bellew but all he's doing is trying to feed his 3 kids with his fists, it's as simple as that. He carries power in those fists and it's likely that he'll knock that fookin rat out.

[Pugilist-specialist]

Being called a "gay lover" by a 6'7 lump in a Brian Harvey baseball cap on live TV is pretty embarrasing

Tyson's actually 6'9.

Bellew had a massive rant on the guy from Boxing Asylum, but I never heard his response to Tyson. Wonder why?