By Scott Gilfoid: #3 WBC light heavyweight contender Tony Bellew (19-1, 12 KO’s) could be on the verge of facing his first real quality opponent in #5 WBC Isaac Chilemba (30-1-1, 9 KO’s) on March 30th at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. Bellew, 30, is hoping to get a title shot against WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson in 2013, that’s not likely to happen because he’s not ranked high enough.
Bellew needs another big win or two to get him to the #1 mandatory position and it starts possibly with the talented 25-year-old Chilemba from Johannesburg, South Africa. Chilema is a tough fighter and I can’t see Bellew getting past this guy unless he’s able to score a knockout.
Chilemba has wins over Edison Miranda, Rayco Saunders, Vikapita Meroro, Michael Bolling, Charles Adamu and a 12 round draw against Maxim Vlasov. Chilemba’s only loss game early I his career in a six round decision defeat to Wilbeforce Shihepo in July 2007. Chilemba later avenged the loss in his next fight by defeating him by a 6 round decision.
Like I said before, I like Chilemba in this fight. He’s got great offensive skills, he puts his punches together, and he’s got excellent power. He’s of an athlete than Bellew, and I see him giving him huge problems on March 30th.
The card is kind of empty right now and still in the process of being build up. Other than the possible Bellew-Chilemba fight, there’s Derry Mathews vs. Anthony Crolla at lightweight, super middleweight Rocky Fielding vs. TBA, Callum Smith vs. TBA, and Scott Cardle vs. TBA. Crolla, a highly hyped fighter at one point in his career, was shockingly exposed by Mathews last year in a 6th round TKO loss in April.
Crolla then came back to lose a 3rd round split decision in his next bout against Gary Sykes in October. Crolla rebounded from those defeats to beat Stephen Jennings and Kieran Farrell in his last two fights. However, those guys are far from world class and it’s got to be more than a little disappointing for Crolla still facing domestic level opposition after all the hype that there was about him at one point in his career.