{"id":80694,"date":"2026-02-17T16:24:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=80694"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:24:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:24:21","slug":"tony-bellew-on-ajs-return-and-why-conor-benn-vs-shakur-stevenson-would-be-a-classic-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/tony-bellew-on-ajs-return-and-why-conor-benn-vs-shakur-stevenson-would-be-a-classic-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Bellew on AJ\u2019s return and why Conor Benn vs Shakur Stevenson would be a classic fight"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our latest monthly catch-up with\u00a0Tony Bellew<\/span><\/span>, the former world champion delivers his trademark honesty on boxing\u2019s biggest talking points. From\u00a0Anthony Joshua<\/span><\/span>\u2019s long-awaited return and why his comeback opponent must rebuild confidence, to\u00a0Tyson Fury<\/span><\/span>\u2019s latest comeback and the risks \u2013 real and imagined \u2013 that come with it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bomber offers candid concern over Deontay Wilder\u2019s mental state, backs Derek Chisora to roll back the years, and weighs in on boxing\u2019s 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 \u2013 not polite respect \u2013 is still the sport\u2019s greatest selling point.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:<\/b>\u00a0The big news is that Eddie Hearn recently said\u00a0Anthony Joshua<\/a>\u00a0has 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\u2019t have a confirmed fight. If you were AJ\u2019s management, what kind of fight would you be looking at for his comeback?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b> I think it\u2019s really up to him. If I was plotting his comeback, I\u2019d want to see him in there with someone he\u2019s going to look good against. That\u2019s 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\u2019t know where he\u2019s going to head. He\u2019s got so many options. No matter what people say about him, he\u2019s 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\u2019s one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world. If he just gets in the ring and lets his hands go, he\u2019s a problem for anyone.<\/p>\n

\"UFC<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>Maybe that will be his mentality coming back now. He\u2019s stared death in the face \u2013 not that we want to dwell on that \u2013 but possibly once he gets back in the ring, he will go in there all guns blazing.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b> He\u2019s been through an awful lot. There\u2019s no pain in the world like grief, and he\u2019s experienced it. I really do feel for him. I just want to see him happy. That\u2019s the most important thing. I think he\u2019s happy when he\u2019s fighting and punching people in the face – like most fighters are. So I\u2019ll be happy to see him back doing that.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>Tyson Fury<\/a>\u00a0is returning from a 16-month layoff after two crushing defeats to Oleksandr Usyk. Given Mahmoudov\u2019s 90% knockout ratio, is this a calculated rust-shaker, or has Fury taken a bigger risk than people realise?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0I don\u2019t really regard Mahmoudov as a big risk. He\u2019s slow, predictable, and there are flaws there. The knockout stats create a false perception of what he really is. We\u2019ve seen him against Dave Allen \u2013 that version of Dave Allen wasn\u2019t surviving big punches anyway. The stats flatter Mahmoudov. Against Tyson Fury, he\u2019s facing a master boxer and strategist who can box, punch, and bully you. I\u2019d expect Fury to deal with him fairly comfortably, if I\u2019m honest. Whether it goes the distance depends on which Tyson Fury turns up, but Fury on points is a solid, safe bet. He\u2019ll want rounds after being out so long. Mahmoudov\u2019s knockout ratio flatters him. We\u2019ve seen what he\u2019s about against better opposition. This is about Fury showing he\u2019s not done yet \u2013 but he\u2019s retired five or six times already. He\u2019s made more comebacks than John McClane in\u00a0Die Hard<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>At the other end of the spectrum is Derek Chisora, someone you\u2019ve recommended to retire, but he refuses \u2013 and now he\u2019s fighting Deontay Wilder in his 50th fight, on Saturday April 4th. At this stage of his career, what\u2019s the psychological motivation to face a puncher like Wilder?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Wilder will always have power, but I don\u2019t think he\u2019s willing to let it go anymore. He\u2019s gun-shy. He\u2019s stuck mentally, and he\u2019s coming out with some ludicrous statements. I\u2019ve got empathy for him. I worry about him. He looks like he\u2019s going through a lot, and it\u2019s sad to watch from afar. The things he\u2019s saying, the claims he\u2019s making \u2013 it\u2019s 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\u2019s sad. That said, the fight with Chisora is one we\u2019ll all tune into. I think Derek survives the first couple of dangerous rounds, then breaks him down and stops him around seven or eight.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>That quick?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Yeah. I think Derek walks through him. The worrying thing is Wilder looks like someone who could break down in front of your eyes \u2013 an Oliver McCall moment waiting to happen. I\u2019m not looking forward to that, but that\u2019s where he seems mentally.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>We saw his meltdown on TalkSport \u2013 some people said it was staged.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b> Nothing was staged about that. Simon Jordan was fearing for his life. If Wilder let his hands go, Simon wouldn\u2019t wake up. We can laugh, but the guy is going through a lot. Chisora plays the game well. He\u2019s got his divorce front and centre. Passing the tissues was funny, but you don\u2019t want to poke the bear too much. One day he might erupt \u2013 hopefully in the ring, not before.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>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?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0The more boxing, the better. More coverage, more money for fighters \u2013 it\u2019s all positive. Paramount getting involved is big. I don\u2019t 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\u2019 lives. You can\u2019t jump from lightweight to welterweight. That\u2019s how people get hurt. There\u2019s a reason weight classes exist. I\u2019ve always believed there should be a weight class between light heavyweight and cruiserweight \u2013 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\u2019s one of the most important things in boxing \u2013 and it doesn\u2019t even exist in the UK, which is wrong. A promoter and manager can\u2019t be the same person. That\u2019s a conflict of interest.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:<\/strong> Let\u2019s talk about Jazza Dickens \u2013 fellow Scouser \u2013 defending his WBA super-featherweight title against Anthony Cacace in Dublin. Two elite southpaws \u2013 you don\u2019t see that often.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0I just hope they don\u2019t cancel each other out. Southpaw vs southpaw can be messy, but I don\u2019t think this will be. Jazza loves to fight. Cacace is coming on leaps and bounds and has serious scalps at the weight. It\u2019s a very hard fight for Jazza, especially in Dublin, but he\u2019s in the form of his life. Cacace looks formidable right now. When I saw him against Cordina, I thought,\u00a0you\u2019re a problem<\/i>. He\u2019s been around a long time, sparring top guys, and now he\u2019s arrived. This would be the best win of Jazza\u2019s career by far if he pulls it off.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>The atmosphere will be electric.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Absolutely. Scousers and the Irish are like cousins. It\u2019ll be brilliant. This could be a fight-of-the-year contender after the first few rounds. Definitely one not to miss.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>Terence Crawford says he\u2019s retired, but Canelo \u2013 Crawford 2 is the biggest saga in boxing. Is Crawford really done, or is this a negotiating masterclass to get a huge payday?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0I think he means it \u2013 he\u2019s a man of his word. But everyone has a price. If the money\u2019s right, he\u2019ll be back. There was no rematch clause, which is insane. Usually that\u2019s agreed before the first fight. People thought Canelo would blow him away \u2013 I didn\u2019t. I told you Crawford would win, and he did. Canelo rarely gets tied down by deals, so it doesn\u2019t shock me from his side. But if Crawford stays retired, Canelo still has options \u2013 Benavidez, Hamzah Sheeraz, others. He\u2019s still probably the biggest draw in boxing.<\/p>\n

\"Terence<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>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.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Stevenson is a step ahead of everyone. I thought he\u2019d win on points, but not that wide. It was a shutout. The better the opponent, the better Stevenson looks \u2013 but matchmaking is key. You don\u2019t want people trying to outbox him; that\u2019s 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 \u2013 they don\u2019t walk through them. He broke Lopez mentally. Took his soul. Absolute masterclass.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>It\u2019ll 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:\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll bet any money Barrios stops Garcia. I\u2019m 100% confident. Garcia\u2019s going to fumble the bag.\u201d\u00a0<\/i>Is this a clever tactic from Conor Benn to motivate Garcia, or is he just angling for the fight?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Ryan Garcia is past being drawn into that kind of nonsense. Conor Benn has been all over the place \u2013 but he capitalised brilliantly on that win over Chris Eubank Jr. When Shakur Stevenson calls him into the ring, it\u2019s pantomime, it\u2019s WWE-style stuff \u2013 but it\u2019s brilliant. It\u2019s gold. That\u2019s what sells. People want rivalries in boxing. They don\u2019t want to see two guys shake hands and say\u00a0\u201cmay the best man win.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0They want genuine rivalries, hatred, anger \u2013 fuelled by boxing. And that\u2019s what you get with Conor Benn. I don\u2019t care whether people love him or loathe him \u2013 he\u2019s great for business. He deserves a big fight. I\u2019d love to see him fight for a world title. I\u2019d love to see him become world champion. I\u2019m sick of hearing people throw mud at him:\u00a0\u201cHe hasn\u2019t won an English title, an area title, a British title.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0Who cares? He\u2019s winning fights \u2013 big fights. He\u2019s beaten former world champions.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s a perfect dance partner for someone like Shakur Stevenson \u2013 but I\u2019d rather see him go down the Barrios or Ryan Garcia route. If Ryan Garcia beats Barrios \u2013 which I actually think he will \u2013 that sets up a mega fight. Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia. You will never see speed like Ryan Garcia\u2019s. That hand speed is frightening. Him and Conor Benn together would be phenomenal. What a fight that would be.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Absolutely \u2013 a barnstormer. Hopefully the stars align. Let\u2019s have a quick word on Moses Itauma, who\u2019s till only 20 years old. We\u2019ve heard about him for a while now. He dismantled Dillian Whyte, and Jermaine Franklin \u2013 notoriously durable, took AJ the distance. If Itauma stops Franklin early, where does that realistically put him in the world-title conversation?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0I think he does stop Franklin. The difference between facing Dillian Whyte and AJ is that those guys wanted rounds \u2013 they weren\u2019t looking to blast him out straight away. That\u2019s the difference between a young prospect and a seasoned veteran. Veterans want rounds in the bank. They\u2019ve done a 12-week camp \u2013 they want to work. At Moses\u2019 stage, he just wants to knock people out.\u00a0\u201cSo what, I\u2019ve done 12 weeks camp \u2013 I\u2019m smashing it.\u201d\u00a0<\/i>Five or six years down the line, he\u2019ll want rounds. I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>Can that be a dangerous tactic?<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:\u00a0<\/b>Of course. But when you know you\u2019re levels above someone, you know. That\u2019s where Moses is with Franklin. He knows he\u2019s better. Franklin isn\u2019t a big puncher. Moses will punish him, then turn up the gas and get him out of there. No doubt. I don\u2019t see it going past four or five rounds \u2013 six at a push.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>We never got your prediction for Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Great fight. Really good fight. I edge towards Fabio Wardley by stoppage. It\u2019ll be brutal. Fabio has to be careful early \u2013 he can\u2019t be gung-ho. He shouldn\u2019t trade in the first three rounds. He needs to jab, use movement. People say Dubois is a better boxer \u2014 no, he\u2019s not. He\u2019s got more experience, especially championship rounds, but Fabio has more tools. He\u2019s more flexible. He\u2019s got a Plan B. Dubois has a strong Plan A \u2013 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\u2019s got a very good team that focuses on detail. I wouldn\u2019t back against Fabio Wardley. Psychologically, Wardley is so resilient. With Dubois, the questions are always there \u2013 who\u2019s he fighting for? Himself? His dad? He\u2019s switched trainers again. It feels chaotic. Only he knows the answers. And in those hard moments \u2013 when you\u2019ve got to bite down on the gumshield \u2013 that\u2019s when it shows. If you\u2019re not fighting for yourself, it comes out.<\/p>\n

SportsCasting:\u00a0<\/b>Time will tell. Elsewhere, some huge women\u2019s fights coming up in April \u2013 Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper, Lauren Price vs Stephanie Pineros to be undisputed.<\/p>\n

Tony Bellew:<\/b>\u00a0Lauren Price is a very good fighter. Caroline Dubois is improving every time. Shane McGuigan is a top coach \u2013 every fighter he works with improves. Caroline\u2019s learning, getting better, and I think she wins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our latest monthly catch-up with\u00a0Tony Bellew, the former world champion delivers his trademark honesty on boxing\u2019s biggest talking points. From\u00a0Anthony Joshua\u2019s long-awaited return and why his comeback opponent must rebuild confidence, to\u00a0Tyson Fury\u2019s latest comeback and the risks \u2013 real and imagined \u2013 that come with it. The Bomber offers candid concern over Deontay […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":486,"featured_media":80695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[138,2325,448],"class_list":["post-80694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-boxing","tag-anthony-joshua","tag-tony-bellew","tag-tyson-fury"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTony Bellew on Anthony Joshua's return & Conor Benn vs Shakur Stevenson<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In our latest monthly catch-up with Tony Bellew, the former world champion delivers his trademark honesty on boxing\u2019s biggest talking points.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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