By Nick Kelly
Tony ‘Bomber’ Bellew has promised another knockout win, this time of Atoli Moore who he fights at Liverpool’s Echo Arena this Friday, the vacant Commonwealth title will be on the line. “I don’t see it going twelve,” said the typically effervescent Bellew when speaking with Boxingscene at an open training session in Liverpool One.
“As long as I’m a light heavyweight I don’t see anyone taking what I’ve got for twelve rounds. As I’ve said before it’s either kill or be killed when you fight me. I’m going to get you in the end if it’s over twelve rounds. I envisage a knockout win, hopefully a sensational one. I’ll take whichever way it comes though, whether it’s on the floor, whether the referee counts him out or whether the referee jumps in to save him,” roared Bellew.
Not a great deal is known about his opponent, the 27-year-old Atoli Moore, but this does not bother Bellew. “I’ll just wait, get in the ring,” said the three time ABA heavyweight champion.
“I know he’s tough, durable and has got a reasonable punch. At the Commonwealth Games he got to the quarter final and got beat by Nigerian Adura Olalehin, who then went onto lose to Kenny Anderson in the final. I’m not going to watch him as an amateur, though, because if you watch me as an amateur and as a professional, I’m a totally different athlete to the one I was then.”
Although ‘Bomber’ is not looking past his foe, ample opportunities exist at 175lb, not least Danny McIntosh who recently defended his English title against Tony Oakey, stopping him in the second round.
“I was really impressed with Danny,” admitted Bellew. “It was a great fight and I’ve already come out and stated I’ll fight Danny McIntosh. I’ll fight anyone. I’ve just got to get Atoli Moore out of the way; once he’s out the way I’ll fight anyone, no matter who it is, where they’re from. Just keep lining them up and I’ll keep knocking them down.”
“I’m just going to get in the ring and do a job on the night and then we can look at the British and all them other titles,” continued Bellew. “There’s loads of guys out there saying they don’t want to fight me, other guys saying they do want to fight me but at the end of the day when it comes to negotiating these guys go missing so hopefully once I’ve got this title all that will change and the guys will really want to fight me.”
Another potential match up for the fanatical Evertonian is against the current British and European champion, Nathan Cleverly. Despite his credentials, though, Bellew doesn’t see the Welshman withstanding his shots.
“I’ll say it time and time again; he can’t match what I can to do. Once I hit him for the first time he’s going to get the shock of his life. He ain’t hitting people like I hit them, and when I hit him he’s going to stay hit,” predicted the 27-year-old.
“I’ll fight Cleverly whenever, I’ll go to Wales to fight him if I have to. I don’t care where I fight him, when I get him I’m going to beat him.”
'The Pride of Merseyside' is headlined by Paul Smith's first defence of his British Super-Middleweight title against former champion Tony Dodson. Chief support is Kell Brook's challenge for the WBO Intercontinental title and Eliminator for the WBO World Welterweight title against Krzystof Bienias, and Tony Bellew's challenge for the Vacant Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight title against unbeaten Atoli Moore. An action packed undercard includes former WBO World Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Maccarinelli, plus the best in young British talent: Stephen and Liam Smith, Ronnie Heffron, Thomas Costello, Tobias Webb, Joe Selkirk and the pro-debut of John Thain.’
Tickets for 'The Pride of Merseyside' are priced at £40, £50, £100, £150 and £200 and are available from:
Liverpool Echo Arena Box Office
0844 8000 400
See Tickets
0871 2200 260
ADD COMMENT