In our latest monthly catch-up with Tony Bellew, the former world champion delivers his trademark honesty on boxing’s biggest talking points. From Anthony Joshua’s long-awaited return and why his comeback opponent must rebuild confidence, to Tyson Fury’s latest comeback and the risks – real and imagined – that come with it.
The Bomber offers candid concern over Deontay Wilder’s mental state, backs Derek Chisora to roll back the years, and weighs in on boxing’s fractured broadcast landscape and fighter safety. Elsewhere, Bellew breaks down standout match-ups across the divisions, hails the rise of elite talents like Shakur Stevenson and Moses Itauma, and explains why genuine rivalry – not polite respect – is still the sport’s greatest selling point.
SportsCasting: The big news is that Eddie Hearn recently said Anthony Joshua has physically recovered from the horrendous crash he had at the start of the year and is planning a return to the ring, which is great news for boxing fans. At the moment, AJ is kind of a ghost-in-the-room figure. He doesn’t have a confirmed fight. If you were AJ’s management, what kind of fight would you be looking at for his comeback?
Tony Bellew: I think it’s really up to him. If I was plotting his comeback, I’d want to see him in there with someone he’s going to look good against. That’s what it would be about, to be honest. All the belts are tied up. Would he want the winner of Wardley vs Dubois? You just don’t know where he’s going to head. He’s got so many options. No matter what people say about him, he’s probably still the biggest draw in the country. His draw is huge, his potential is huge, and I still genuinely believe that when he gets in there and lets his hands go, he’s one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world. If he just gets in the ring and lets his hands go, he’s a problem for anyone.
SportsCasting: Maybe that will be his mentality coming back now. He’s stared death in the face – not that we want to dwell on that – but possibly once he gets back in the ring, he will go in there all guns blazing.
Tony Bellew: He’s been through an awful lot. There’s no pain in the world like grief, and he’s experienced it. I really do feel for him. I just want to see him happy. That’s the most important thing. I think he’s happy when he’s fighting and punching people in the face – like most fighters are. So I’ll be happy to see him back doing that.
SportsCasting: Tyson Fury is returning from a 16-month layoff after two crushing defeats to Oleksandr Usyk. Given Mahmoudov’s 90% knockout ratio, is this a calculated rust-shaker, or has Fury taken a bigger risk than people realise?
Tony Bellew: I don’t really regard Mahmoudov as a big risk. He’s slow, predictable, and there are flaws there. The knockout stats create a false perception of what he really is. We’ve seen him against Dave Allen – that version of Dave Allen wasn’t surviving big punches anyway. The stats flatter Mahmoudov. Against Tyson Fury, he’s facing a master boxer and strategist who can box, punch, and bully you. I’d expect Fury to deal with him fairly comfortably, if I’m honest. Whether it goes the distance depends on which Tyson Fury turns up, but Fury on points is a solid, safe bet. He’ll want rounds after being out so long. Mahmoudov’s knockout ratio flatters him. We’ve seen what he’s about against better opposition. This is about Fury showing he’s not done yet – but he’s retired five or six times already. He’s made more comebacks than John McClane in Die Hard.
SportsCasting: At the other end of the spectrum is Derek Chisora, someone you’ve recommended to retire, but he refuses – and now he’s fighting Deontay Wilder in his 50th fight, on Saturday April 4th. At this stage of his career, what’s the psychological motivation to face a puncher like Wilder?
Tony Bellew: Wilder will always have power, but I don’t think he’s willing to let it go anymore. He’s gun-shy. He’s stuck mentally, and he’s coming out with some ludicrous statements. I’ve got empathy for him. I worry about him. He looks like he’s going through a lot, and it’s sad to watch from afar. The things he’s saying, the claims he’s making – it’s worrying. He needs his management and family close. A lot of men struggle, but his struggles are being played out publicly on social media and viral clips. It’s sad. That said, the fight with Chisora is one we’ll all tune into. I think Derek survives the first couple of dangerous rounds, then breaks him down and stops him around seven or eight.
SportsCasting: That quick?
Tony Bellew: Yeah. I think Derek walks through him. The worrying thing is Wilder looks like someone who could break down in front of your eyes – an Oliver McCall moment waiting to happen. I’m not looking forward to that, but that’s where he seems mentally.
SportsCasting: We saw his meltdown on TalkSport – some people said it was staged.
Tony Bellew: Nothing was staged about that. Simon Jordan was fearing for his life. If Wilder let his hands go, Simon wouldn’t wake up. We can laugh, but the guy is going through a lot. Chisora plays the game well. He’s got his divorce front and centre. Passing the tissues was funny, but you don’t want to poke the bear too much. One day he might erupt – hopefully in the ring, not before.
SportsCasting: Elsewhere, boxing is split across Netflix, DAZN, TNT Sports, and now the BBC are back in the picture too. Is this streaming war helping or hindering fans?
Tony Bellew: The more boxing, the better. More coverage, more money for fighters – it’s all positive. Paramount getting involved is big. I don’t like the changes to weight divisions, though. Cutting them and creating massive jumps is dangerous. Dana White makes exciting fights, but messing with weight classes risks fighters’ lives. You can’t jump from lightweight to welterweight. That’s how people get hurt. There’s a reason weight classes exist. I’ve always believed there should be a weight class between light heavyweight and cruiserweight – maybe bring back 185. That would solve a lot. And all this talk about removing the Muhammad Ali Act is disgraceful. It exists to protect fighters from themselves and from dangerous promoters. It’s one of the most important things in boxing – and it doesn’t even exist in the UK, which is wrong. A promoter and manager can’t be the same person. That’s a conflict of interest.
SportsCasting: Let’s talk about Jazza Dickens – fellow Scouser – defending his WBA super-featherweight title against Anthony Cacace in Dublin. Two elite southpaws – you don’t see that often.
Tony Bellew: I just hope they don’t cancel each other out. Southpaw vs southpaw can be messy, but I don’t think this will be. Jazza loves to fight. Cacace is coming on leaps and bounds and has serious scalps at the weight. It’s a very hard fight for Jazza, especially in Dublin, but he’s in the form of his life. Cacace looks formidable right now. When I saw him against Cordina, I thought, you’re a problem. He’s been around a long time, sparring top guys, and now he’s arrived. This would be the best win of Jazza’s career by far if he pulls it off.
SportsCasting: The atmosphere will be electric.
Tony Bellew: Absolutely. Scousers and the Irish are like cousins. It’ll be brilliant. This could be a fight-of-the-year contender after the first few rounds. Definitely one not to miss.
SportsCasting: Terence Crawford says he’s retired, but Canelo – Crawford 2 is the biggest saga in boxing. Is Crawford really done, or is this a negotiating masterclass to get a huge payday?
Tony Bellew: I think he means it – he’s a man of his word. But everyone has a price. If the money’s right, he’ll be back. There was no rematch clause, which is insane. Usually that’s agreed before the first fight. People thought Canelo would blow him away – I didn’t. I told you Crawford would win, and he did. Canelo rarely gets tied down by deals, so it doesn’t shock me from his side. But if Crawford stays retired, Canelo still has options – Benavidez, Hamzah Sheeraz, others. He’s still probably the biggest draw in boxing.
SportsCasting: Since we last spoke, Shakur Stevenson has cemented himself as king of the lightweights, dominating Teofimo Lopez. Ryan Garcia could be next if he beats Barrios.
Tony Bellew: Stevenson is a step ahead of everyone. I thought he’d win on points, but not that wide. It was a shutout. The better the opponent, the better Stevenson looks – but matchmaking is key. You don’t want people trying to outbox him; that’s a disaster for viewers. Just appreciate him. People said the same things about Floyd Mayweather early on. This kid is the future of boxing. He has everything. Maybe he lacks one-punch power, but fighters feel his shots – they don’t walk through them. He broke Lopez mentally. Took his soul. Absolute masterclass.
SportsCasting: It’ll be interesting to see where he goes from here. Like we said just before, Ryan Garcia vs Barrios again next weekend in Vegas. Conor Benn, the mandatory challenger for the winner, seems to have finally settled on a prediction. He said: “I’ll bet any money Barrios stops Garcia. I’m 100% confident. Garcia’s going to fumble the bag.” Is this a clever tactic from Conor Benn to motivate Garcia, or is he just angling for the fight?
Tony Bellew: Ryan Garcia is past being drawn into that kind of nonsense. Conor Benn has been all over the place – but he capitalised brilliantly on that win over Chris Eubank Jr. When Shakur Stevenson calls him into the ring, it’s pantomime, it’s WWE-style stuff – but it’s brilliant. It’s gold. That’s what sells. People want rivalries in boxing. They don’t want to see two guys shake hands and say “may the best man win.” They want genuine rivalries, hatred, anger – fuelled by boxing. And that’s what you get with Conor Benn. I don’t care whether people love him or loathe him – he’s great for business. He deserves a big fight. I’d love to see him fight for a world title. I’d love to see him become world champion. I’m sick of hearing people throw mud at him: “He hasn’t won an English title, an area title, a British title.” Who cares? He’s winning fights – big fights. He’s beaten former world champions.
The main thing is he gets in the ring, he fights, and he delivers. Every single time, he gives 110%. He puts his heart on his sleeve and fights to the finish. For now, I think he’s a perfect dance partner for someone like Shakur Stevenson – but I’d rather see him go down the Barrios or Ryan Garcia route. If Ryan Garcia beats Barrios – which I actually think he will – that sets up a mega fight. Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia. You will never see speed like Ryan Garcia’s. That hand speed is frightening. Him and Conor Benn together would be phenomenal. What a fight that would be.
SportsCasting: Absolutely – a barnstormer. Hopefully the stars align. Let’s have a quick word on Moses Itauma, who’s till only 20 years old. We’ve heard about him for a while now. He dismantled Dillian Whyte, and Jermaine Franklin – notoriously durable, took AJ the distance. If Itauma stops Franklin early, where does that realistically put him in the world-title conversation?
Tony Bellew: I think he does stop Franklin. The difference between facing Dillian Whyte and AJ is that those guys wanted rounds – they weren’t looking to blast him out straight away. That’s the difference between a young prospect and a seasoned veteran. Veterans want rounds in the bank. They’ve done a 12-week camp – they want to work. At Moses’ stage, he just wants to knock people out. “So what, I’ve done 12 weeks camp – I’m smashing it.” Five or six years down the line, he’ll want rounds. I’ve done it myself. I came back after a long layoff once, dropped the guy early, then waited until the 10th round to stop him. I wanted rounds.
SportsCasting: Can that be a dangerous tactic?
Tony Bellew: Of course. But when you know you’re levels above someone, you know. That’s where Moses is with Franklin. He knows he’s better. Franklin isn’t a big puncher. Moses will punish him, then turn up the gas and get him out of there. No doubt. I don’t see it going past four or five rounds – six at a push.
SportsCasting: We never got your prediction for Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley.
Tony Bellew: Great fight. Really good fight. I edge towards Fabio Wardley by stoppage. It’ll be brutal. Fabio has to be careful early – he can’t be gung-ho. He shouldn’t trade in the first three rounds. He needs to jab, use movement. People say Dubois is a better boxer — no, he’s not. He’s got more experience, especially championship rounds, but Fabio has more tools. He’s more flexible. He’s got a Plan B. Dubois has a strong Plan A – and if he jumps on Fabio early like he did with AJ, Fabio could be in trouble. But I think Fabio manoeuvres his way through it. He’s got a very good team that focuses on detail. I wouldn’t back against Fabio Wardley. Psychologically, Wardley is so resilient. With Dubois, the questions are always there – who’s he fighting for? Himself? His dad? He’s switched trainers again. It feels chaotic. Only he knows the answers. And in those hard moments – when you’ve got to bite down on the gumshield – that’s when it shows. If you’re not fighting for yourself, it comes out.
SportsCasting: Time will tell. Elsewhere, some huge women’s fights coming up in April – Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper, Lauren Price vs Stephanie Pineros to be undisputed.
Tony Bellew: Lauren Price is a very good fighter. Caroline Dubois is improving every time. Shane McGuigan is a top coach – every fighter he works with improves. Caroline’s learning, getting better, and I think she wins.
