By Terence Dooley

As previously reported on BoxingScene, Liverpool’s Tony Bellew (26-2-1, 16 KOs) has confirmed that he will meet South Africa's Ilunga Makubu (19-1, 18 early) for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title at Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton FC.

The contest takes place on Sunday May 29 and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Bellew has reeled off six wins since losing to Adonis Stevenson for the 175lbs WBC belt in November 2013. He gained revenge over domestic rival Nathan Cleverly (W12) during that run and now hopes to add the WBC's green strap to his title collection. “Bomber” won the 200lb EBU belt by beating Mateusz Masternak last time out, a close, hard-fought decision win that has set him up nicely for his second world title tilt.

“I’m over the moon to get this opportunity,” said Bellew. “Eddie Hearn and Bill Kenwright the chairman of Everton have got this done, I can’t thank them enough. They are both behind me 100 per cent and I’m looking forward to getting this all underway. I’ve been training for four weeks now and this is the defining fight and night of my career. The experience has been passed, I’ve done it all now, British, Commonwealth, European—beaten fringe contenders, former world champions—I’m ready to conquer the world.

He added: “I can’t wait for this all to get underway now, the build-up, press conferences - coming face to face with Ilunga Makubu for the first time. The WBC belt has always been the one that I’ve wanted to win more than any other. I’ve got unfinished business with that Green Belt, I lost last time against Adonis Stevenson at Light-heavyweight, but I was never a Light-heavyweight. I was born to lift that belt on May 29, I’ve achieved my dream getting this fight on, I know I’m going to win, I can’t and won’t be defeated at Goodison Park—the greatest stadium in the world.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright also confirmed that the deal has been nailed down once and for all, saying: “Tony has not hidden the fact that winning a world title at Goodison Park will make all of his dreams come true—and that’s what the whole of Merseyside wants to happen. On May 29 Goodison will be full to the rafters with Blue and Red—united in one goal. To salute Liverpool’s new World Champion—Tony Bellew.”

Bellew had previously told BoxingScene that he expects a “carnival atmosphere” in the city that week as he fronts an event that will united both sides of a city that came together in unison this week to celebrate the fact that a ruling had finally found that the victims of the Hillsborough disaster were “unlawfully killed” by the actions of the South Yorkshire Police and other authorities.

It ended 27 years of pain for the red side of the city. A Bellew win would be a fine tribute and top the #JFT96 campaign that has raged without any sign of abating in recent years.

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