As fans may have read, it is now official how WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew will make his first defence against long-time contender B.J Flores. Promoter Eddie Hearn is promising a “huge card” for Bellew’s hometown of Liverpool on October 15, with a number of supporting bouts to be announced in the coming says – with appearances by David Price and Rocky Fielding likely and a fight between Gary Sykes and Sean Dodd at lightweight already confirmed.
Tony Bellew
BJ Flores vows he will “school” Tony Bellew “before I knock his ass clean out!”
Though the fight hasn’t been officially announced yet there has been plenty of talk over how WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew will make the first defence of his belt against BJ Flores on October 15 in his native Liverpool. Eddie Hearn, Bellew’s promoter, is expected to make an official announcement regarding the Liverpool show next week some time. But Flores, at 37 knowing he will be getting what will likely be his last title shot, is already promising to both school and then knock out Bellew – a fighter he has been calling out even before “Bomber” won the WBC belt by smashing the dangerous Ilunga Makabu in May.
Hearn says three names in the mix for Bellew’s Oct. 15 defence: Wlodarczyk, Flores, Briedis
WBC cruiserweight king Tony Bellew is all set for his first title defence. His promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports today how the defence will top a Liverpool show on October 15, with an official announcement of the opponent and other details next week. For now, Hearn says there are three names in the mix: former WBC and IBF champ Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, former WBA title challenger B.J Flores and unbeaten WBC mandatory challenger Mairis Briedis.
“It’s a full division, we have Wlodarczyk, B.J Flores, who has been calling Tony out; that’s a fun fight,” Hearn said. “And we have a mandatory, Mairis Briedis. Hopefully we’ll have an announcement next week.”
Tony Bellew to make first defence of WBC crown in October – talks Haye, B.J Flores
Back in May, underdog Tony Bellew rose to the occasion and put in a contender for best performance by a British fighter this year, when he destroyed the dangerous Ilunga Makabu in three-rounds to take the WBC cruiserweight title. Now, “Bomber” has to hold onto the belt, and his first defence will take place in Liverpool in October, Bellew told Sky Sports.
Tony Bellew: “Kell Brook is taking on the most feared middleweight since Marvin Hagler”
British fighters, even rivals in the sport, often rally around one another when the need arises (see the selfless gestures a number of British fighters made in aid of the recently retired Nick Blackwell; David Haye especially). And this need, in the form of wishing to get behind Kell Brook as he enters his absolutely massive, potentially life and career-changing fight with the feared Gennady Golovkin, has arisen again.
Eddie Hearn says he feels Haye could get down to 210, fight with Bellew targeted for February or March 2017
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of newly crowned WBC cruiserweight king Tony Bellew, really does feel a massive fight between Bellew and David Haye can happen. Speaking with RingTV.com, the Matchroom boss said he believes Haye – the former undisputed cruiserweight ruler and also a former WBA heavyweight champ and a current heavyweight campaigner – could get his weight down to 210-pounds (the heaviest Bellew wants to fight at, understandably) and that he is looking at the fight taking place in February or March of next year.
No unlucky number: British boxing now boasts 13 world champions – from heavyweight down to bantamweight
For a population of around 65million (tens of millions less than America) the UK boxing scene currently boasts a truly exceptional number of world champions – 13, in fact. America currently has just nine reigning world champions. Quite amazing, really. The success British fighters have been enjoying over the past year or so just keeps on growing. With Sunday’s fantastic, underdog win by Tony Bellew in capturing the WBC cruiserweight title, British boxing now boasts a world champion in no less than ten weight divisions.
Tony Bellew-David Haye: could this fight really happen?
Talk is cheap, as we know, and the mere fact that brand new WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew has called out David Haye, insisting he would beat him and KO him, does not mean the fight will actually happen. But Bellew, who overcame a very capable and dangerously avoided fighter in Ilunga Makabu on Sunday night, has got the attention of the former undisputed cruiserweight king. Haye, as fans know, is campaigning as a heavyweight these days (since 2008 in fact) but he has not ruled out a fight with Bellew.
Tony Bellew KOs Illunga Makabu in 3rd!
Underdog Tony Bellew (27-2-1, 17 KOs) came into tonight’s fight against #1 WBC Illunga Makabu (19-2, 19 KOs) as a slight underdog, but he came out the champion and the new WBC cruiserweight belt holder after stopping the South African in the 3rd round at the Goodison Park Stadium in Liverpool, UK.
Things weren’t looking good for the 33-year-old Bellew initially after he got greedy in the 1st round and was put on his backside by a scorching left hand to the head from Makabu. Bellew regrouped well in the 2nd and 3rd round to come back to dominate and stop the 28-year-old Makabu. In the final sequence in the 3rd, Bellew landed a hard right to the head of Makabu that caused his legs to shudder slightly.
Bellew defeats Makabu; Price and Smith win – results
Tony Bellew (27-2-1, 17 KOs) picked up the WBC cruiserweight title tonight with an easier than expected 3rd round knockout win over Ilunga Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England. Bellew went in the underdog but he showed that the oddsmakers had been wrong in installing the 28-year-old Makabu the favorite.
Bellew took Makabu out in the third round with some hard shots to the head after backing him up against the ropes. Makabu went down hard and was unable to continue.