Bellew vs. Chilemba on March 30th in Liverpool, England

By Boxing News - 01/09/2013 - Comments

chilemba545By Scott Gilfoid: Britain’s Tony Bellew (19-1, 12 KO’s) will be meeting 25-year-old Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) on March 30th in a WBC light heavyweight title eliminator at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. The winner of the fight will become the mandatory challenger for WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.

Bellew, 30, recently had a chance to fight WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly for his strap in October 2011, but Bellew ran out of gas in the last four rounds of the fight and gave it away. Bellew has since won his last three fights against Danny McIntosh, Edison Miranda and Roberto Bolonti.

Chilemba, 25, has been fighting on a really high level as of late, beating Edison Miranda, Rayco Saunders, Vikapita Meroro and Maxim Vlasov. Chilemba was held to a controversial 12 round draw against the talented undefeated Thomas Oosthuizen in November 2010 in a fight that many boxing fans thought Chilemba should have won.

Chilemba, #5 WBC, #13 WBA, #13 WBO, has the speed, power, work rate, chin, stamina and combinations to beat Bellew. This is a fight that I don’t like for Bellew because Chilemba can take his single shot bombs and out-work him for a decision. I don’t think Chilemba will be able to stop Bellew because he’s not a super puncher, but he hits hard enough to knock Bellew down if he makes the mistake of going toe-to-toe with Chilemba for 12 rounds.

Bellew doesn’t have the stamina required for him to be able to stand and trade with Chilemba. Believe me, if Bellew, #3 WBC, #14 IBF, makes the mistake of trying to brawl with a talented fighter like Chilemba for the full 12 rounds then we’ll see Bellew run out of gas by the 9th round just like he did in his loss to Cleverly back in 2011.

Chilemna is the younger guy by five years, the more athletic guy and the guy with the better engine. All Chilemba has to do is take the fight to Bellew and wear him down like Cleverly did.



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