By Lee Collier
Liverpool’s Tony Bellew, 12-0 (8 early), finally gets the chance to make a name for himself when he challenges for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title on the 12th March in front of his home fans. Bellew faces the little known Atoli Moore on the Paul Smith-Tony Dodson undercard at the Echo Arena, Liverpool and the Liverpudlian is confident he will come away with his first belt in the professional ranks.
“I am going to fight Atoli Morris, he’s unbeaten in ten and won six by knockout [Boxrec record: 4-0 (2 early)],” revealed Bellew. “All I need to do is concentrate on myself and I’ll be fine. All I have seen is a picture of him with the African belt so that’s all I really know.
“It’s for the Commonwealth title so I have to make sure I’m fit and ready to go 12 rounds and it should be a good night for Liverpool. The furthest I have done is six rounds but I’m ready now to contest the title and hopefully I’ll add the British to it in the near future.”
Bellew has made no secret of his wish to fight British and European champion Nathan Cleverly, Cleverly vacated the Commonwealth title this week, but at the ‘Night of the Champions’ post-fight press conference [promoter] Frank Warren indicated that they would have to wait a couple of years until a world title is on the line, which is something Bellew understands.
“I can see his [Frank Warren] point of view, it can go either way and I just hope he [Cleverly] doesn’t get beat before then. If I would have been in the ring with Cleverly or the Italian [Antonio Brancalion] on Saturday night I would have knocked either of them unconscious within two rounds,” boasted Bellew.
“They were both easy to hit, the only thing Cleverly had was more hand speed, more heart and a lot more variety. The Italians chin was in the air and if Nathan was a puncher he would have had him out of their within two rounds like [Jurgen] Braehmer did,” stated Bellew.
“I just have to wait my time and be patient. Nathan is getting all the plaudits at the minute and he deserves it. Let them keep building him up and then I’ll come along and knock him right back down.”
With Welshman Cleverly looking at a world title fight later this year, he could then vacate the British title, which is a belt Bellew would love to fight for.
“I think Nathan is looking at the world scene and hope he wins one so good luck to him. I will just taking the titles that get left behind, if he’s not going to defend them then I want them, it’s as simple as that,” explained Bellew.
“When I started this game I said I wanted the British, Commonwealth and European titles and Nathan has got them now and I’m looking at picking up whatever he leaves behind. All I can do is keep winning and picking up titles. I think I will smash holes in the domestic scene over the next year and then hopefully I’ll arrive on the world scene.”
Bellew has struggled to get any top level British light-heavyweights to fight him, the most recent disappointment being Ovil McKnezie’s withdrawal to instead target the British title, yet the Liverpudlian is hoping the Commonwealth belt gets him the fights he craves with a possible fight with the winner of the Tony Oakey-Danny McIntosh English title fight.
“It’s been well documented that I’ll fight anyone in Britain and all these different guys have pulled out for various reasons,” stated Bellew.
“I plan on fighting anyone who can compete at a decent level domestic. I’m a big fan of Tony Oakey and I think he is a really good fighter so I’m not going to call him out. I don’t really like McIntosh so I’d love to shut his mouth. I have a lot of respect for Ovill McKenzie, he comes to fight and can punch with both hands so I’d love to fight Ovill, it would be an honour”
