On November 10, from the Manchester Arena in London, former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew will return to the ring for one last go-round, as he will challenge unified cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for all of the marbles, the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO titles.
The bout will be aired on the DAZN streaming service and will be as big as an event as Bellew has been involved in, and it’s a fitting way for the 35-year old to bow out.
Bellew twice challenge for world titles at light heavyweight, losing a majority decision to Nathan Cleverly in October of 2011 and being stopped by Adonis Stevenson in late 2013. It wasn’t until Bellew defeated Ilunga Makabu in May of 2016, to capture the vacant WBC cruiserweight title, that he achieved boxing gold.
Bellew defended the title with a stoppage of B.J. Flores, then changed the trajectory of his career, as he rose in weight and produced two stirring knockout victories over former cruiserweight and heavyweight champion David Haye. Those victories were something the pinnacle of Bellew’s career, and enough for him to walk away from, yet the possibility of being able to derail the Usyk express is something he couldn’t pass over.
According to promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who is promoting the Usyk vs. Bellew showdown, this opportunity was too much for the Liverpool fighter to pass up.
“Tony has won British, Commonwealth, European and World titles,” Hearn told WorldBoxing News. “And after the two big wins against David Haye we felt it might be time to walk away. But with him constantly improving and the lure of becoming undisputed king, the temptation was too much.”
A lot is on the line for Usyk as well, as this fight with Bellew will likely be his last at cruiserweight. Usyk notoriously stormed through the World Boxing Super Series on his way to claiming all four world titles, and after this fight with Bellew a move to heavyweight seems imminent.
Usyk has proven his dominance under 200 pounds, and the lure of possibly being able to face off with IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is something that excites him.
“For Oleksandr, the plan is to finish his chapter at Cruiserweight on November 10,” Hearn revealed. “He will then move up to Heavyweight where he will chase a fight with unified World Champion Anthony Joshua.”
Of course, Usyk would likely face a few contenders at heavyweight first. Guys likes Joseph Parker and Dillian Whyte, for example, would give a great gauge on his standing about 200 pounds. If he can beat either, or both, that will tell us a lot more about the Ukrainian.
What the southpaw Usyk does bring to the table is a vast array of skills and excellent ring generalship. Some even compare him to his friend and countryman Vasyl Lomachenko, the WBA lightweight champion at 135 pounds. Whether he has enough to defeat ‘AJ’ remains to be seen, however.
That’s why, on November 10, we can expect plenty of drama from Bellew and Usyk, given how much is on the line for each man.
