Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

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Ruthless-RKO
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Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Ruthless-RKO »

Andre Ward and Tyson Fury are not the only fighters that Tony Bellew is willing to face in the future.

Since Bellew's five round mauling of David Haye on May 5 there has been plenty of talk doing the rounds as to who the 35-year-old would fight next.

Ward and Fury appear top of the wish-list but another name that Bellew wouldn't say no to is Oleksandr Usyk. As things stand the WBC/WBO cruiserweight champion is still waiting on a date for his World Boxing Super Series final showdown against IBF/WBA holder Murat Gassiev.

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Should the unbeaten 31-year-old southpaw be successful in winning all four belts outright, then Bellew would welcome a showdown against the Ukrainian.

"Me and Usyk is a good fight. It's a fight I can win," Bellew (30-2-1, 20 KOs) told Boxing Scene after declaring he would "100%" be interested in fighting the man he sparred with as an amateur.

"I'm under no illusions. I'll be honest, because it's a dangerous fight. It's a fight that I'm going to have to take a lot of stick in. But I believe I cop him with something.

"The thing is with Oleksandr is I've sparred him in the amateurs. He's an amazing fighter but he's not scared of getting hit. I definitely think I could catch him with something real big. I don't want to blow my own trumpet but I'm a really good finisher. When I get a guy hurt they don't see the rest of the fight out."


And that was evidently the case in his last two fights, at heavyweight, both against Haye. Since the rematch Bellew has been enjoying some downtime with his family, and is thoroughly looking forward to his wedding in July when he will marry his long-time partner Rachael.

Although he has been back in the gym lifting weights and doing some swimming, Bellew's hands aren't ready to punch yet. So instead of hitting punch bags he's been hitting golf balls.

"I shouldn't say I play golf what I do is I swing clubs at balls, that's what I do," said the former WBC Cruiserweight champion.

"I'm just trying to live normal as possible. No need to worry about what I've gotta do. Just spending time at home with the family and the missus and chilling out."

Having won his world title at Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton Football Club, defended it and then finished his rivalry with David Haye, Bellew finds himself in a position where he doesn't need to fight again. That's not say he doesn't want to, but it has to be something - as has been the case in a few of his fights - that he is given no chance of winning.

"I ain't gonna say I'm retired, because I ain't. But what I will say is it'll take something huge to drag me out of bed to start punching people again. I ain't going into any fight where I'm favourite. It's got to be something where everyone writes me off again. " he explained.

"I'm at the stage where I'm not getting any younger, and I ain't going to make the mistake that the older fighters made. I've always said, and I'll stand by the statement, I will retire from boxing -- boxing will not retire me."
Andrew
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Andrew »

I think this is all talk and we will see Bellew announce his retirement in the autumn.
lillywhite14
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by lillywhite14 »

Not interested in Gassiev then?
Sklar
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Sklar »

lillywhite14 wrote: 25 May 2018, 11:33 Not interested in Gassiev then?
Not sure there's the same money in a fight with Gassiev?
lillywhite14
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by lillywhite14 »

Sklar wrote: 25 May 2018, 11:37
lillywhite14 wrote: 25 May 2018, 11:33 Not interested in Gassiev then?
Not sure there's the same money in a fight with Gassiev?
I’m sure there would be if Gassiev prevails. It’ll be a barnstormer of a fight between him and Uysk. I’m not so sure Uysk is winning personally.
leejonesjnr
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by leejonesjnr »

I don’t think that either Usyk or Gassiev are beatable or lucrative.
Bellew won’t box either.
Counter-puncher
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Counter-puncher »

lillywhite14 wrote: 25 May 2018, 11:33 Not interested in Gassiev then?
:lol: oh come on mate, its only fair he'd look at the one out of two top 2 cruisers who isn't such a lights-out puncher, even I wouldn't criticise him for that, in fact if he took an Usyk fight I'd have to take back a few things I have said.
Horse
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Horse »

Bellew is a bum who won't fight anyone. No way that he will fight Usyk.

Let's all hate him, despite his record of fighting good opposition throughout his career.
bripez
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by bripez »

Counter-puncher wrote: 25 May 2018, 12:10
lillywhite14 wrote: 25 May 2018, 11:33 Not interested in Gassiev then?
:lol: oh come on mate, its only fair he'd look at the one out of two top 2 cruisers who isn't such a lights-out puncher, even I wouldn't criticise him for that, in fact if he took an Usyk fight I'd have to take back a few things I have said.
Same here - I don't believe he will fight Usyk though.
Andrew
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Andrew »

Horse wrote: 25 May 2018, 12:10 Bellew is a bum who won't fight anyone. No way that he will fight Usyk.

Let's all hate him, despite his record of fighting good opposition throughout his career.
I can't stand Bellew but calling him a bum is a bit far.
oogiebe
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by oogiebe »

Usyk will have his way with Bellew IMHO.
oogiebe
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by oogiebe »

Naandrew wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:33
Horse wrote: 25 May 2018, 12:10 Bellew is a bum who won't fight anyone. No way that he will fight Usyk.

Let's all hate him, despite his record of fighting good opposition throughout his career.
I can't stand Bellew but calling him a bum is a bit far.
Calling him a bum is "just plain stupid."
Nightmare Roy
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Nightmare Roy »

oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:34
Naandrew wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:33
Horse wrote: 25 May 2018, 12:10 Bellew is a bum who won't fight anyone. No way that he will fight Usyk.

Let's all hate him, despite his record of fighting good opposition throughout his career.
I can't stand Bellew but calling him a bum is a bit far.
Calling him a bum is "just plain stupid."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
oogiebe
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by oogiebe »

Nightmare Roy wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:55
oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:34
Naandrew wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:33

I can't stand Bellew but calling him a bum is a bit far.
Calling him a bum is "just plain stupid."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
OK! Being sarcastic isn't.
Nightmare Roy
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by Nightmare Roy »

oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:56
Nightmare Roy wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:55
oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:34

Calling him a bum is "just plain stupid."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
OK! Being sarcastic isn't.
I think Horse was being funny, I think he'd take this fight if it was another big PPV, he's showed he's got the balls for it.
oogiebe
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by oogiebe »

Nightmare Roy wrote: 25 May 2018, 14:40
oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:56
OK! Being sarcastic isn't.
I think Horse was being funny, I think he'd take this fight if it was another big PPV, he's showed he's got the balls for it.
Understood, I underrated him badly against Haye.
jamamb
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by jamamb »

i would way way rather see him vs the wbss winner then that strange ward fight

is it really forgone that usyk and gaasiev both beat him like most think
smiling assassin
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by smiling assassin »

oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 14:43
Nightmare Roy wrote: 25 May 2018, 14:40
oogiebe wrote: 25 May 2018, 13:56

OK! Being sarcastic isn't.
I think Horse was being funny, I think he'd take this fight if it was another big PPV, he's showed he's got the balls for it.
Understood, I underrated him badly against Haye.
He has been underrated there is no doubt about that but Haye was shot and conned the public in both fights. He is solid fighter that's all. Talk of a fight against Ward and Usyk is just that ' talk'. Bellew has made life changing money out the game and good luck to him, I don't think he will fight again as I don't think there is a fight our there for him that will make him anywhere near what he made against Haye
tigermoth87
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by tigermoth87 »

Bellew is underrated.

Even his performance vs Adonis wasn't terrible. Caught Adonis with some decent shots and had a possible knock down (one of those 50-50 ones, I've seen those given as knockdowns before).

Think Usyk will win late on but Bellew will do alright.
keithmoonhangover
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Re: Tony Bellew "100%" Interested In Fighting Oleksandr Usyk

Post by keithmoonhangover »

Usyk would destroy Bellew IMO. 3 of Tony's biggest wins were against injured boxers.
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