Former WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew has put out a tweet, in fact two tweets (now X) that have got fans talking, and perhaps arguing. After watching the destructive job Artur Beterbiev did on Callum Smith last night in Quebec, Canada in retaining his three light heavyweight titles, Bellew says “our sport needs looking at.”
Bellew has made it clear he is more than suspicious at the way Beterbiev, who will soon turn 39, looked “stronger” and “more destructive” despite getting on in years. “That,” Bellew wrote, “is not usually possible but he’s doing it!”
Here are Bellew’s two tweets:
“He’s a beast and a fighter who is getting stronger as he gets older which is hard to believe but he is! Callum as brave as anything. A soldier who went there and gave it everything! Faced that monster in his backyard! So frustrated ‘cos I wanna say more!”
and
“Obviously we wanna see Bivol Beterbiev next! It’s a great fight but please show me a fighter who has got stronger with age! He’s 39 and he’s getting more destructive! Physically that’s not usually possible but he’s doing it! Our great sport needs looking at like baseball was!”
For the record, that’s nine exclamation marks in two tweets from Bellew! Okay, Bellew is quite clearly passionate about boxing and about what he is saying here. But are we to believe Beterbiev is cheating, he is juicing? As Beterbiev pointed out quite firmly as news broke of the atypical findings in his December 6 post-fight drugs test, he has NEVER failed a drugs test (Beterbiev undergoing three further tests after December 6, with all coming back clean) throughout his entire career.
Bellew now says he “wants to say more.” Maybe he should do so, if he has any proof or anything concrete to say, that is.
As for fighters who got stronger with age – and were not in any way cheating or using PEDS – the name George Foreman springs to mind. And what about Bernard Hopkins, who certainly got better with age and, in his fight with Kelly Pavlik, when ‘Nard was 43 years old, he looked stronger and more hurtful with his punches?
It is possible for a fighter to get, or to at least appear, stronger as he gets older. Also, Smith was there to be hit in last night’s fight, which perhaps made Beterbiev look even more devastating, what with the 175 pound champ not having to go looking for his man.
What do YOU make of Bellew’s tweets, and do you have any fears Beterbiev may be guilty of any wrongdoing?