This Saturday night in Liverpool, WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew will make the first defence of his title, and he will make it against a man he did not have to fight, but wanted to simply because, by his own admission, he does not like him, not one bit. “Bomber” Bellew will face BJ Flores and these two have had a serious war of words, going back to long before the fight was even close to being signed.
Flores, who at age 37 will go down as one of the oldest fighters to have won his first world crown if he is to take Bellew’s belt, is sure he has what it takes to win, and win by KO.
“I’m not going to get into the trash-talking, there is nothing [else] to say,” Flores told Sky Sports’ toe-to-toe. “He can say what he wants and in the first round he’ll see the difference and see what I am talking about. I’m going for a knockout. I don’t plan on going the distance and I don’t feel I need to go the distance. It’s going to be a fast pace from the get-go and I am in great shape.”
Flores, who has never been stopped as a pro and has met dangerous punchers before – and has even dipped his toe into the heavyweight waters and has won – is talking a great fight. Bellew, though, is also ultra-convinced he will win and defeat the man he has called a “celebrity fighter,” and a “playboy.” It’s no secret Bellew wants to fight David Haye; with whom Flores is great friends (Haye is expected to be ringside on Saturday night) – but could Bellew be looking past Flores as he has his eye on what could be a British mega-fight?
Then again, will Flores – who was also very convincing going into his challenge of Danny Green in Australia, many moons ago now, only to box a largely defensive fight and drop a wide decision – deliver on Saturday?
This one is a genuinely tough fight to pick. Bellew is favourite but Flores, knowing this is almost certainly his last chance at becoming a world champion, might have the edge in motivation and sheer desire.
Bellew on points or Flores by shock early-rounds KO!