BoxRec

Q & A with Tony “The Bomber” Bellew

Liverpool’s Tony “The Bomber” Bellew is a former standout amateur who won 3 consecutive ABA Heavyweight titles before turning to the paid ranks where he has gone 9-0(6). Bellew 26, then opted to make an unusual choice while most guys add weight when going pro Bellew took the interesting measure of actually losing weight and now fights at Light Heavyweight.


Hello Tony, welcome to 15 rounds .com

Anson Wainwright - Firstly you won your last fight beating Matthew Ellis in Belfast a month ago. You weighed 189, does this mean you will now be fighting at Cruiserweight or are you still intending to fight at 175 for the right fights?

Tony Bellew - To be honest they asked him to make 12.7 but when they couldn’t i put on a pull stone in weight of weight. I’m still a Light Heavyweight. I hope that clears it up.

Anson Wainwright - You were a Heavyweight in your amateur days, what made you decide to drop to Light Heavyweight?

Tony Bellew - To be honest i always thought there was always going to be a lot more opportunities at Light Heavyweight. I knew i could make the weight proved i had the correct training with a nutritionlist on board. Since i’ve been with Kerry Kayes & Anthony Farnell. I always knew it was going to be possible to fight at 12 stone 7 it was just getting the right team behind me. When i went professional everything changed.

Anson Wainwright - Do you know when and where you may next see action?

Tony Bellew - I’m going to be back in the first week of September. I could of taken the July date (On the 18 July MEN show in Manchester headlined by Kotelnik-Khan) but didn’t want to rush my preparations. So i’m just ticking over at the moment before the real hard training starts.

Anson Wainwright - Did you find it hard to get from around 200 pounds all the way to 175? What can you tell us about this training regime?

Tony Bellew - Well to be fair I was 15 stone 8 when i first went Anthony Farnell. He was quite shocked at the weight i was but i wasn’t in any kinda shape. I told him i’m gonna do Light Heavyweight without a problem and the weight won’t be an issue. At first he was shocked. As long as i take my time things will fall into place.

Anson Wainwright - In those amateur days you won 3 consecutive ABA titles from 2004-2006. What other amateur titles did you win and what was your final record?

Tony Bellew - My final record was 47 bouts and i lost 7, i stopped 32. I had a great time as an amateur. I won 3 ABA title’s. 2 Novice titles, some of the highlights were i won a 4 Nations gold medal. I never lost a dual International i beat Canada, Russia, America & Hungary. To be fair to myself i like Danny Price i think the world of Danny Price who’s still an amateur but i still think i won on that night. I think it should of been 4 ABA titles. It wasn’t to be he got the decision.

Anson Wainwright - Britain didn’t have a reprehensive in the 2008 Olympics at Heavyweight, did you try to make the team before going pro in 2007?

Tony Bellew - To be honest in the end it became impossible to keep going on the squad. It was just impossible it was a nightmare in the end. I couldn’t put up with the dictatorship. The way you were spoken to down there and it got to the point i’d had enough and had to leave. I’d of loved to of been an Olympian but i just wasn’t for me. You need a bit of luck on your side as well and i didn’t have it. Turning over was the best thing i could possibly do and i haven’t looked back since.

Anson Wainwright - There seems to be a thriving boxing scene in Liverpool at the moment with yourself David Price and Paul & Steve Smith. To those who aren’t so familiar with it what can you tell them about how Boxing is doing in Liverpool?

Tony Bellew - We’ve got some fantastic talent in Liverpool. David Price is a great talent. People don’t know just how good a Heavyweight he is. Even though he’s not getting a lot of front page news at the moment. I’ve sparred with him. David Price is probably the best conditioned Heavyweight in Europe. His conditioning is fantastic. Stephen Smith is also a fantastic talent. I’ve been away with them for England for the last i don’t know how many years. So i know them quiet well.

Anson Wainwright - How did you get into Boxing?

Tony Bellew - It started out as just a hobby at first. I went to Kick boxing. It just went from there. I started knocking my opponents out with my hands. I was told to go to the gym by a Kick Boxing specialist, he said to think about Boxing. I took it up and never looked back. I first started going to Boxing gyms when i was 15 and had my first fight when i was 16 or 17.

Anson Wainwright - Who were you Boxing hero’s?

Tony Bellew - That’s a tough one. I had plenty. Riddick Bowe was a favourite of mine. I loved watching Mike Tyson. I have many different one’s today I admire what Floyd Mayweather does and what he’s about, he’s a class act. I have loads of guys i look up to in this game. You can go on the Sugar Ray Leonard’s the Hagler’s the Hearns. So i don’t have one particular fighter but i do have a soft spot for Bowe.

Anson Wainwright - What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Tony Bellew - I love to play a bit of Football (Soccer) but that’s been put to an end. Not much just spend as much time as possible with my 2 boys. I’m a blue (In Liverpool there are two Premier League Soccer teams and there is a massive rivalry in which you are either Blue for Everton or Red for Liverpool).

Anson Wainwright - What are you goals in Boxing?

Tony Bellew - To win everything possible at Light Heavyweight and then go onto Cruiserweight and do something there. Everyone’s asking me if i’m a Light Heavyweight or am i a Cruiserweight, i’m a Light Heavyweight. Until i win serious titles at this weight and i see a challenge at Cruiserweight on the British or World scene i won’t be moving up. But that’s going to be long-time yet. I’m at Light Heavyweight for the foreseeable future.

Anson Wainwright - Who do you think will win the upcoming British Light Heavyweight title when Nathan Cleverly fight Danny McIntosh?

Tony Bellew - I just think McIntosh is opening his mouth a little to much. I think McIntosh is all mouth, I don’t think if he’s got much to back it up. With regards Nathan Cleverly. I do rate him. I think Clev has a very high work rate, very fast hands. I know for a fact McIntosh can punch but all this razzmatazz and bigging himself up as the next the Roy Jones Jnr. I just don’t think he’s that good. He’s most certainly dangerous on the front foot. Put him on the back foot and behind a solid jab and you have the beating of him. Cleverly’s in for a tough night i can guarantee that but i pick him on points.

Anson Wainwright - Finally do you have a message for your fans in Liverpool and around Britain?

Tony Bellew - Any fans i’ve got out there i can’t thank you enough for supporting me. I always give 100% they never go home disappointed. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m going to give my best. I love the fans and long may it continue.

Thanks for your time Tony and good luck in the future.

Anson Wainwright
15 rounds .com

I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet

Cotto16 wrote:I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet

I have not heard that, how long ago. BTW Bellew come accross class there and I have been his biggest critic in the past.

[quote="teddy007"][quote="Cotto16"]I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet[/quote]

I have not heard that, how long ago. BTW Bellew come accross class there and I have been his biggest critic in the past.[/quote]
it was about 6 months ago

Cotto16 wrote:

teddy007 wrote:

Cotto16 wrote:I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet

I have not heard that, how long ago. BTW Bellew come accross class there and I have been his biggest critic in the past.

it was about 6 months ago

How reliable was ur source? Who else can back that up? I would also say that is part and parcel of sparring, you get hurt sometimes.

[quote="teddy007"][quote="Cotto16"][quote="teddy007"][quote="Cotto16"]I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet[/quote]

I have not heard that, how long ago. BTW Bellew come accross class there and I have been his biggest critic in the past.[/quote]
it was about 6 months ago[/quote]

How reliable was ur source? Who else can back that up? I would also say that is part and parcel of sparring, you get hurt sometimes.[/quote]
whats the big deal and my source is very! reliable, you would think i had said jake la motta had been out on his feet the way your acting

I like the way he answered his last Question 8)


He's a Top Man and he is going Places.. Best of Luck Mate

whats the big deal and my source is very! reliable, you would think i had said jake la motta had been out on his feet the way your acting[/quote]

Well you said something interesting you pr!ck and I was just enquiring about the circumstances, thats what people do on a boxing forum you mug.

Just checked you out...17yrs old, who has been spreeding rumours at school

Surreal to think that Tony posts on here, will we see a post from the bomber saying 'nice answers mate'

Cotto16 wrote:I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet

never happened.

I heard it was 1Southpaws nan that did him in

[quote="Arnie"][quote="Cotto16"]I heard bellew and Geard Ajetovic had a war in some gym in liverpool, geard was ment to have had bellew out on his feet[/quote]

never happened.[/quote]
so they never sparred then in a gym called shamrocks?

hahahaha i was in the gym when bellew sparred geard. geard had bellew out on his feet. thats brilliant. 1 of the funniest things iv ever heard. you should do your own stand up.

as a close friend of tonys i know that he has only ever been hurt proppa twice in his life, and hes a very honest person and will say if some one is a good fighter and if they can punch, the only people who have hurt him to date is noel quarless (not sure if thats the correct spelling.) when bellew was 15 years of age. and david haye, when bellew spared him as an amateur, and bellew said he was a class fighter and could really bang.

so i hope this clears these stupid rumours up. i find it very funny how people make these things up then when asked about it say well thats what i heard.

i was there that statement about geard having bellew in trouble is soooooooooooooo far from the truth its unbelievable. bellew clearly won the spar, CLEARLY. i have spoken to geard many times and respect him he is a great fighter and a realy nice guy but am sure if u asked him about it he would tell u him self. i have actualy spoken to geard about bellew and he sais he rates bellew very highly and he thinks he hits extreamly hard.

hope this clears up all this rubbish

Seems like a nice guy but he is also a very good boxer it was a good bit of matchmaking putting him in with Ellis a HW when he's LHW its always good to fight bigger and stronger guys even if they arent that great D

Thanks for another interesting interview, Anson. If you could, in the future, some formatting would be nice (to differentiate between the questions and the answers - just bold or italic).

Still waiting to see Bomber on TV. :x

Asterik wrote:Thanks for another interesting interview, Anson. If you could, in the future, some formatting would be nice (to differentiate between the questions and the answers - just bold or italic).

Still waiting to see Bomber on TV. :x

Yeap no probs matey. They are highlighted on the website but if i post a link it doesn't work on here. But will highlight them anyway.

I spoke with another scouser David Price yesterday. We were talking about Tony and Price todl em they have sparred and he rates Bellew very highly.

There is a Q&A i did with Vic Darchinyan on the Current page & i'll have one up with Leonard Bundu (Unbeaten fighter based in Italy) and Gary Davis the British Bantamweight champ on here Thursday.

El Raincoat wrote:

Asterik wrote:Thanks for another interesting interview, Anson. If you could, in the future, some formatting would be nice (to differentiate between the questions and the answers - just bold or italic).

Still waiting to see Bomber on TV. :x

Yeap no probs matey. They are highlighted on the website but if i post a link it doesn't work on here. But will highlight them anyway.

I spoke with another scouser David Price yesterday. We were talking about Tony and Price todl em they have sparred and he rates Bellew very highly.

There is a Q&A i did with Vic Darchinyan on the Current page & i'll have one up with Leonard Bundu (Unbeaten fighter based in Italy) and Gary Davis the British Bantamweight champ on here Thursday.

Thanks alot for the work, always appreciate the effort

Bomber always shows class in how he conducts himself, can't wait for him to hit the limelight winning belts.

top lad is bellew. helped me out without knowing me well so have alot of respect for him. plus he is mega talented

never met him, but he comes across as a top geezer on the various websites ive posted on over the years

not seen him in the pro's yet... but seen him spark several people out in the am's

Tonys a top guy, known him for years filmed all the title wins!! never forget the day he spark Mick O'connell out at crystal palace!! baaaad KO!!

jBacca wrote:

El Raincoat wrote:

Asterik wrote:Thanks for another interesting interview, Anson. If you could, in the future, some formatting would be nice (to differentiate between the questions and the answers - just bold or italic).

Still waiting to see Bomber on TV. :x

Yeap no probs matey. They are highlighted on the website but if i post a link it doesn't work on here. But will highlight them anyway.

I spoke with another scouser David Price yesterday. We were talking about Tony and Price todl em they have sparred and he rates Bellew very highly.

There is a Q&A i did with Vic Darchinyan on the Current page & i'll have one up with Leonard Bundu (Unbeaten fighter based in Italy) and Gary Davis the British Bantamweight champ on here Thursday.

Thanks alot for the work, always appreciate the effort

Bomber always shows class in how he conducts himself, can't wait for him to hit the limelight winning belts.

x2 he comes across as a real class act, no suprise he was willing to help Larry out

Anybody want me to try to interview any other fighters? Pop a few requests on and i'll see what i can do.

El Raincoat wrote:Anybody want me to try to interview any other fighters? Pop a few requests on and i'll see what i can do.

Will you interview our lass,i want to know her secret,she's easily the hardest and fastest in our house,the only training she does is housework

Mowgli wrote:

El Raincoat wrote:Anybody want me to try to interview any other fighters? Pop a few requests on and i'll see what i can do.

Will you interview our lass,i want to know her secret,she's easily the hardest and fastest in our house,the only training she does is housework

Haha i bet she'd love to here you speak about her like that! Hahah

It's a bit harsh calling McIntosh all mouth when he won the English title in his 8th fight.
Bellew's first eight fights were 4-rounders and he's only had one 6-rounder since.