By Michael Byrne: Tony Bellew (19-1, 12 KO’s) is set to fight in Liverpool’s Echo Arena on March 30th. This man can certainly punch, and he’s also demonstrated a boxing brain. Bellew proved both of these things individually in his two outings with Ovil McKenzie a couple of years back. The first fight was an absolute slugfest, seeing Bellew dropped in the first two rounds by McKenzie’s vicious right hand, before he showed his own power to force a stoppage in the 8th. The rematch was a big surprise, as Bellew pumped out his jab for 12 rounds to show his ability to follow a game plan and not get caught up in a war (Amir Khan, take note!).
However, Bellew’s one loss came against the one world-class fighter he has faced. He leapt from fighting poor records on the domestic scene straight into a world title fight with unbeaten Welshman Nathan Cleverly. The 12-round war watched Cleverly hang onto his title via a mixed decision – it was certainly close! The decision may well have been the right one, but it would be hard to complain had it gone the other way. It doesn’t matter if you think Bellew was outclassed, or that Cleverly was outfought, the fact stands that the one time Bellew has stepped up he lost his unbeaten record
Bellew claims he has learnt his lessons from that fight, and is 3-0 since then. In his brutal 5th-round stoppage of Danny McIntosh last April, Bellew boxed superbly, hardly taking a punch, before again showing his big power in both fists to blast McIntosh out in 5. Bellew again stuck to a plan to dispatch Edison Miranda, before having to resort to a Plan B to outpoint Roberto Bolonti last time out; a cut over his eye in the first forced Bellew to slow the fight down and box with care, much like the second McKenzie fight. However, it’s hard to tell for sure what Bellew has learnt from the Cleverly fight, and just how good he is right now. McIntosh won a vacant European belt, but is firmly set as a fighter of domestic class. Edison Miranda looked old and weary against Bellew, indeed he hasn’t looked at his peak since his war with Kelly Pavlik (at 160) in 2007. Bolonti, although 30-1, had a distinct lack of names on his record. Bellew is unproven, but one can certainly see class in his work, and power in his fists: he’s a hot prospect for 2013.
It is expected he will fight Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) in March. Chilemba has avenged his sole defeat, has fought Thomas Oosthuizen to a draw in 2010, and with the exception of Cleverly, has consistently faced a much higher class of opposition than Bellew. This fight will either confirm Tony Bellew as a genuine light-heavyweight contender, or expose a man who belongs in the second tier. For what it’s worth, this writer predicts the former: a fairly close, hard-fought points victory for Bellew.
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