Tony Bellew has a world champion’s mindset but once admitted that even at his best he didn’t have enough for one fighter.
Throughout a storied career Bellew had plenty of big nights, including a pair of fights with Welsh rival Nathan Cleverly which ended one all and a world title challenge at light heavyweight than left him knocked out inside six rounds largely due to being weight drained.
He found championship success during a run at cruiserweight, becoming WBC champion by knocking out Ilunga Makabu at the home of his beloved Everton FC.
The Liverpudlian also had two forays up at heavyweight against British legend David Haye, winning both times by stoppage on huge box office bills.
The final fight of his career came back in November 2018 at the Manchester Arena against Oleksandr Usyk, the undefeated and undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Bellew started well but eventually the Ukrainian ground him down, pressured him on the front foot and, once ‘The Bomber’ was tired, caught him with a crisp one-two that left him flat out on the canvas.
Bellew never had any complaints and heralded Usyk as a great competitier after the fight ended. Speaking more recently to Boxing Scene. he admitted he was on top form that night, but still couldn’t win.
“I was at my best of my career, I was boxing really well and doing okay, but he figured me out.”
Bellew then elaborated on why Usyk presents such a puzzle inside the ropes.
“He’s the one who exhausts you to the brink when you can barely breathe. And when I look back at it now, it’s purely his judgment of distance and his feet remain so close to you.
“It sounds like such a little thing: His front foot is never more than four to five inches away from you, but you think he’s in range and he’s actually not. He’s in and out and in and out, but you feel like he’s constantly there and it’s so mentally taxing, it’s unbelievable. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is when someone’s doing it and controlling it.”
