British cruiserweight contender Tony Bellew (25-2-1, 16ko) has not has a good 2015 – at least in the ring – boxing twice thus far against journeyman opposition and, to put it politely, not looking great in the process.
The former 175 lb world title challenger, knocked out by Adonis Stevenson in his November 2013 title tilt, has spent a portion of the year filming the new Rocky spin-off, Creed, and continues to state that he has an eye on winning a world title at Cruiserweight, promising that in December he will be ‘in a big, big fight.’
“I’m gonna be in a big fight in December,” he said to iFLtv, clearly unable to reveal the exact details, “and it’s a big fight I’m gonna win.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn had said previously that his man would be fighting the winner of October’s IBF Cruiserweight fight between frequently inactive champion, Yoann Pablo Hernandez and Argentina’s Victor Emilio Ramirez, that was set to take place on October 2nd in Argentina after previous postponement.
Hernandez is again out of that fight however, and the IBF have installed Ramirez as their interim champion. While he is still scheduled to box on the October date against a TBA, it’s perfectly feasible that he won’t fight then and will instead fight Bellew in a defence of that interim title in December, determining the mandatory challenger to the injured Hernandez.
Slots #1 and #2 are currently vacant on the IBF rankings. Bellew sits at #8 with the organisation, behind the likes of dangerous Russian’s Rakkim Chakkiev (23-1-0) and his unbeaten countrymen Dmitry Kudryashov (18-0) and #3 Murat Gassiev (22-0).
“It’s a big fight that I’m gonna win in December,” he continued. “Listen, my career has always been drilled in becoming world champion and I believe that’s gonna happen in December, I really, really do.
“I’ve worked my a**e off to get this far, and I haven’t worked my a**e off to lose at the final stage. I’m at the point where this next fight for me is everything that I’ve ever dreamed of, so we’re gonna get there,” he added.
Twitter @Undilutedpoison