Bellew Stokes Cleverly Flames, Says Fry Can Beat Him
By Terence Dooley
Tony Bellew has poured a little bit more petrol on his slow-burning feud with fellow British light-heavyweight Nathan Cleverly ahead of Cleverly’s British and Commonwealth title defence against Courtney Fry.
Fry hails from Liverpool, as does Bellew, and Courtney hopes to hand Cleverly his first professional defeat when the two clash at York Hall, Bethnal Green on the 30th of October. Bellew told the Liverpool Echo that he believes in Fry, who was a top-rated amateur, and he feels that his fellow Liverpudlian has enough in his locker to defeat Cleverly.
“I know Courtney really well and have sparred hundreds of rounds with him so I know that he has a really good chance,” declared Bellew.
He continued: “He’s going to pose Cleverly problems that Cleverly has never had posed to him before. Courtney is a good tall upright fighter with a good jab and he’s got underrated power also. It all depends on the night how things start out. Courtney is a notoriously slow starter but if he can get past those first three or four rounds then he’s in with a really good chance.
“But then Cleverly is a good fighter. He’s got good speed and a good variety of punches but he’s also yet to be hit on the chin so we’ll find out a little bit more about him when he gets nailed.”
Bellew is also hankering after a derby showdown with British International Masters light-heavyweight champion Carl Dilks but Tony may have to wait as Dilks has dropped down to super-middleweight. Carl recently told Boxingscene that Bellew would have to follow him down in weight in order to make that fight a reality. Bellew insists that they should duke it out at 175lb.
“I am sick of listening to Carl Dilks say that it’s between him and Courtney Fry as to who is the best light-heavyweight in the city so all I want him to do is prove it,” blasted Bellew.
“He can either fight me or shut his mouth and go and be a super-middleweight like he keeps saying he’s going to do. My request is short; it’s either put up or shut up. Fight me or go away. It’s as simple as that.”
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