By Terence Dooley

Liverpool’s Tony Bellew (26-2-1, 16 KOs) has a world title fight on his plate again after promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the 33-year-old cruiserweight contender will meet South Africa's Ilungu Makabu (19-1, 18 early) for the vacant WBC title on June 4.

Bellew recently played a prominent part in Creed, the latest Rocky film, so it could be a case of life imitating art as he may get to fight for the belt at Goodison Park—the home ground of his beloved Everton F.C. and the place where he fought the fictional Adonis Johnson-Creed in the Oscar nominated picture.

Talks are still ongoing over that aspect of the bout.  Bellew believes that it would be the icing on the cake, but he is simply focussing on the fight now that it has been made after the WBC sanctioned the bout due to Grigory Drozd’s injury woes.

“I’m happy, the good news has come out so I just have to get back into the hard work to prepare for the fight,” said Bellew, who took time out from the school run to speak exclusively to BoxingScene.

“We’d been sorting it out for a while, I was just waiting on one fight or the other so I’m just delighted I’m fighting for the WBC belt.  I don’t know what it is with me, I’ve just always dreamed of lifting that green belt.  I fought for it at light-heavyweight, so to get a chance at cruiserweight is the dream option.”

Victor Emilio Ramirez was mooted for December; Bellew had set his sights on that one only for the fight to fall apart and for Ramirez to move on to a unification against WBA World holder Denis Lebedev in May.  “Bomber” believes that the Argentine titlist did not fancy the task.  “We were so close to getting Ramirez in December,” he revealed.

“It was done, but he basically sh*t his pants and said ‘No’, which was frustrating because I should really have been world champion in December.  The form I showed against Mateusz Masternak [W12] would have been more than enough for me to deal with Ramirez.”

He added: “You stay focused, stay dedicated, which is what I did, and it has paid off now with this opportunity.”

It will be his second crack at a WBC title, his first resulted in a sixth-round stoppage loss to WBC 175lbs holder Adonis Stevenson in Canada in November 2013.  The defeat underlined his struggle to make the 175lb limit, a move up to 200lbs had been on the cards for a long time and he has not looked back since.

“Anyone who knows me understands that light-heavyweight was a huge battle for me because I’m 6’ 3’’ and a man of that height should not go below 190lbs, to be honest,” admitted Bellew.  “The fact I was making 175 is an unbelievable thing.  It would hit me on fight night, size matters.”

As mentioned above, Bellew played “Pretty Boy” Ricky Conlan in the Creed movie.  Goodison was the setting for the climatic final showdown.  Promoter Eddie Hearn told BoxingScene it is on the cards for this one.  The irony of Goodison potentially hosting his first world title fight at cruiser was not lost on Bellew.

“I’ve done it once before in the movies, so it would be great to do it for real,” he said.  “We’re close, really close so just have to keep things moving on.  There’s still a few things to do, but first and foremost I just care about that green belt—to do it at Goodison Park would be a dream come true.”

Speaking of his film career, surely Bellew should have someone on staff to do the school run?  “Don’t be daft,” he answered.  “I still do stuff like this.  But it just hasn’t stopped with the media stuff and stuff going on (since Creed).

“First and foremost, I’m a boxer—I’ve always said that.  I want to go out there and show that, as I always do when I fight.  I’ve been in a film, but just because you do something once it doesn’t become who you are.”

Makabu lost his first fight—a first-round stoppage reverse to Khayeni Hlungwane in 2008—yet plugged away to drag himself into contention.  The fact he fell so hard in his very first outing only to force himself into world title contention speaks positively to the southpaw’s self-belief and determination.  Bellew will not take him for granted once the first bell rings.

“Oh yeah, he’s a really, really good fighter—a relaxed, skillful southpaw who can punch and do an awful lot,” he said when discussing his opponent.  “I’m looking forward to the challenge that he brings, but won’t be denied on this occasion.”

Hearn revealed that Bellew has been vocal in his desire to secure a world title tilt.  The promoter has now delivered; Bellew told me that every boxer should state their case, both in and out of the ring.

“You know what, sometimes you have to make it known that you want those fights,” he said.  “You’ve got to be a bit vocal and I’ve never been shy of saying the right things at the right time.  I’ve done it in the past, if need be I’ll do it again but I’ve got this one on merit.

“I won WBO International and EBU titles then waited patiently for my chance.  I didn’t just go for International titles or a final eliminator—I went for a final eliminator and a fight (Masternak) that would make a big statement.  Now I’ve got to just keep going, I want to get to June the 4th as soon as possible.”

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