British promoter Eddie Hearn is closing in on a deal to match undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 15-0 (11) with his boxer Tony ‘Bomber’ Bellew 30-2-1 (20) in the northwest of England in November.
Usyk emerged as the dominant 200-pound boxer in the world after his successful campaign in the inaugural World Boxing Super Series tournament over the past 12 months.
The 31-year-old Ukrainian southpaw entered the global competition as the WBO cruiserweight champion, defeating Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev to claim the WBC, WBA and IBF titles along with the Muhammad Ali trophy awarded to the tourney winner.
“We’re looking at November the 10th in Manchester or Liverpool, somewhere around there,” Hearn said in an interview with Tha Boxing Voice. “At the moment, Usyk tells me he wants the fight. I know Bellew wants the fight. He [Usyk] just won it. There’s no mandatories due.”
Liverpudlian Bellew, 35, is coming off back-to-back wins over former cruiserweight and heavyweight world titleholder David Haye. Bellew, who hasn’t fought at cruiserweight since defending his WBC cruiserweight crown against American BJ Flores almost two years ago, has previously stated he would only come back down in weight for a big fight.
Hearn doesn’t anticipate any issues with the four sanctioning bodies approving the fight.
“They would be very pleased with that fight as well,” said Hearn.
“More than likely on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK. This will be Tony Bellew’s last fight. I’ll make sure. He’s going for absolute glory in this fight, and he can do it. If he does, he’s going down as a pound-for-pound great.”
Usyk has revealed plans to move up to heavyweight after the Bellew fight and a strong working relationship with Hearn will be vital if he wants to test himself against unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 21-0 (20).
“That is the long-term goal for Usyk, to fight Anthony Joshua, as is for many people,” Hearn said. “I don’t like the Tony Bellew fight. Tony Bellew I carving out a very good career for himself. He’s made a lot of money. The Usyk vs. Bellew fight, because I know how Bellew will fight, but he wants it.
“When Usyk called Bellew out after the World Boxing Super Series, he phoned me within 10 seconds and said, ‘Get me Usyk.’ I said, ‘We can make it at heavyweight.’ ‘I want all those belts,’ [Bellew said].
“Bellew wants to be the undisputed champion. He wants the Ring magazine belt. He’s going back down [to cruiserweight]. He’s got to lose 10, 12 or 13 pounds. It requires work.
“He said, ‘What is the value of fighting Usyk at heavyweight for nothing? Yeah, the money. I don’t want the money. I want legacy. I want the belts. I want the money and the belts’.”
 with his boxer Tony ‘Bomber’ Bellew 30-2-1 (20) in the northwest of England in November.){kind=link}