Tony Bellew is no stranger to an out of the ring altercation/slagging match/scuffle, and, truth be told, neither is Deontay Wilder. So it was perhaps inevitable that the two heavyweights (and, yes, Bellew has to be recognised as a legit heavyweight, having beaten former WBA champ David Haye) would get into some sort of argument when they came together at today’s Joshua-Klitschko weigh-in.
And, no, “Bomber” Bellew and “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder did not disappoint! As captured by the film cameras of iFLTV, the two engaged in a real war of words, with security, and a gate, separating them. Bellew seemed to take annoyance to Wilder’s familiar “Bomb Squad” chant, shouting back that “he [Wilder] ain’t no f*****g squad.”
And then, after yelling to Wilder that he himself, “don’t need no squad,” Bellew got the desired attention from the reigning and unbeaten WBC heavyweight king.
“I ain’t no boy, I’m a grown ass man,” Bellew stated, reminding Wilder how he upset Haye in his last fight in March.
“You ain’t never dealt with this power, though,” Wilder, wearing designer shades, shot back with a grin.
Bellew insisted to Wilder that Haye “has more power than you,” to which Wilder replied, “what separates me from other heavyweights is, I knock mutha f*****s out!”
“I break bones,” Wilder said.
And the two went back and forth in amusing fashion.
Wilder pleaded with Bellew to “stay at heavyweight,” and it seems we could see the two square off with one another some time quite soon. But as entertaining, and as evenly matched, as today’s spat was, what would happen if these two did meet in the only place that matters – the ring?
Bellew has defied the odds in a huge way before, most notably against Haye (and Bellew said today that “It’s a fact, I have a better name on my record in one fight than he [Wilder] has in nearly 40!”) and he declared how he has “a better boxing brain” than Wilder – but the sheer size difference makes this would-be clash a mismatch, surely.
This doesn’t mean Wilder Vs. Bellew won’t happen; it very likely will. But this is where the amazing and admirable run Bellew has been on comes to an end. And it could end painfully for the courageous Liverpool warrior.
Let’s see if these two act in a more civilized manner when they share punditry duties for Sky Sports tomorrow night.
