By Scott Gilfoid: WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (20-1-1, 12 KO’s) won an ugly 12 round unanimous decision over Isaac Chilemba (20-2-1, 9 KO’s) tonight at the O2 Arena in London, UK. Judges scores: 116-112, 117-112 and 116-112.
Bellew-Chilemba
Groves vs. Gonzalez & Bellew vs. Chilemba tonight in London
By Scott Gilfoid: The undercard fights on tonight’s Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler card in London could possibly steal the show with unbeaten super middleweight contender George Groves (18-0, 14 KO’s) facing puncher Noe Gonzalez (30-2, 22 KO’s), and WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) facing the highly skilled #3 WBC, Isaac Chilemba (20-1-2, 9 KO’s) in a rematch at the O2 Arena.
The Groves-Gonzalez fight looks to be another mismatch put together by Groves’ promoter Eddie Hearn, but there’d a slight possibility the fight could be interesting if Groves goes right after Gonzalez and runs into something big. I mean, I kind of doubt it, but there’s a lottery type chance that Gonzalez can drop Groves a few times and make the fight competitive.
Bellew: Chilemba knows what’ll happen if he trades shots with me
Bellew vs. Chilemba II set for May 25th on Froch-Kessler II undercard at O2 Arena, in London
By Scott Gilfoid: Well, promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport has done it. He’s put together a quick rematch between his fighter WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) and challenger Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) for May 25th on the undercard of the Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler II rematch at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
The Bellew-Chilemba II fight will get third billing behind Froch-Kessler in the main event and George Groves vs. TBA as the co-feature. In a way that’s a good thing because it could be major buzz-kill for the British fans if Chilemba out-boxes Bellew for a second time and makes him look like a crude slugger again.
Bellew doesn’t want Ajisafe fight; prefers Chilemba or Karo Murat on May 25th
By Scott Gilfoid: WBC Silver and British light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) says he doesn’t want to defend his British 175 pound strap on May 25th against Bob Ajisafe (11-2, 3 KO’s), who Bellew already beat by a convincing 12 round unanimous decision three years ago in September 2010 and instead Bellew wants to face #3 WBC Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) in a rematch or #2 IBF, #10 WBO Karo Murat on the 5/25 card at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
Bellew and Chilemba fought to a 12 round draw last Saturday night in a fight where many boxing fans felt that Chilemba won. Bellew maintains that he should have won the fight, and that the only reason the fight was close is because he says he let off the gas in the 6th or 7th rounds.
Hearn negotiating Bellew-Chilemba rematch for May 25th at the O2 in London, UK
By Scott Gilfoid: Promoter Eddie Hearn openly acknowledged that WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) didn’t look good in fighting to a 12 round draw against challenger Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) last month in Liverpool, UK, but Hearn still thinks Bellew should have won.
The Liverpool crowd seems to have a different opinion altogether because you didn’t hear a peep out of them after the referee announced the draw with the scores 116-112 for Chilemba, 114-114 even and 116-115 for Bellew. I agreed with the 116-112 score for Chilemba because I think he totally dominate Bellew for the last 8 rounds of the fight.
Hearn says he’s now looking to put a rematch together because Bellew and Chilemba for May 25th at the O2 Arena in London, UK. The fight would be on the undercard of the Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler pay-per-view card, although it won’t be the co-feature.
Bellew can still bark but can he bite?
By Jack Tarpey @jackboxing24 – Well we witnessed another typical Tony Bellew build up, the former 15 year old doorman turned boxer has always relied on his quick witted mouth to upsell his notoriety as a genuine contender in the world of boxing. Considering his biggest accomplishment in the ring so far is ‘nearly’ beating Nathan Cleverly for his handed down world strap, he has managed to do himself proud in becoming a well-known name within British boxing scene.
Bellew has recently changed his boxing style from the exciting come forward fighter to the safety first approach, the idea for this was to ensure results but in reality all it has done is left a sour taste in the mouth of the paying punter, coming to watch a self-proclaimed bully in the ring only to be met with a fighter who isn’t willing to commit himself leaves more to be desired for the boxing purest.
Hearn doubts Bellew is ready for Chad Dawson after poor performance against Chilemba
By Scott Gilfoid: Eddie Hearn, the promoter for WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s), questions whether the 30-year-old Bellew is ready to challenge for the title against WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson when and if the opportunity presents itself.
Bellew fought to an unimpressive 12 round draw with #3 WBC Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) last Saturday night at the Echo Arena.
Hearn said to the dailystar.co.uk “On that performance, maybe he [Bellew] is not ready for a Chad Dawson, so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. Maybe he needs to build again, learn more and come back better because I don’t think on that performance he may have been able to deal with Dawson.”
Bellew: Chilemba was ready to quit by the end of the 5th
By Scott Gilfoid: WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) was full if excuses about what went wrong in his 12 round draw against the faster Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) last Saturday night in their fight at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.
Bellew claims that Chilemba was ready to quit by the end of the 5th, and that he made a mistake of taking the 6th or 7th rounds off and that let Chilemba get into the fight. Bellew doesn’t say why he wasn’t able to retake control of the fight after he finished taking his break in rounds 6 or 7.
Hearn plans on matching Bellew against Chilemba again
By Scott Gilfoid: After tonight’s disappointing 12 round draw between WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) and Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK, Bellew’s promoter Eddie Hearn from Matchroom Sport said that he plans on putting Bellew back in with the #3 WBC Chilemba again in the near future so that a winner of the fight can be determined to pick out the mandatory challenger for WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. And, yes, the rematch will almost surely take place again in Bellew’s home city of Liverpool.
Tonight’s Bellew-Chilemba fight was scored 116-112 for Chilemba, 116-112 for Bellew, and 114-114. I had the fight scored 117-111 for Chilemba, as I thought he clearly out-boxed Bellew pretty much all night long, leaving him hitting nothing but air. I was very impressed with Chilemba’s defensive skills in this fight.