Tony Bellew has doubled down on his claims that junior welterweight contender Ohara Davies 25-2 (18) is a quitter.
Last weekend Bellew and Davies had a heated conversation on Twitter after the retired former WBC cruiserweight champion insisted Liam Smith 33-4-1 (20) would be making no excuses for his knockout loss to Chris Eubank Jr 33-3 (24) in their rematch.
Bellew took the opportunity to lay the boot into Davies again in an interview on Froch on Fighting when asked who he thinks if the most overrated active boxer.
“Ohara Davies,” he said without hesitation. “He’s quit twice, I’ve seen him step up against Josh Taylor and he quit and he’s going on about how he should be world champion.
“When he stepped up against Josh Taylor he got his arse absolutely handed to him on a plate and he spewed it, he watched the referee count to ten when he was on one knee.
Davies, 31, lost his first professional contest when he challenged future undisputed champion Taylor 19-1 (13) for the Commonwealth crown six years ago when he was stopped in the seventh.
“What more can you say?” Bellew continued. “A fighter goes down from a body shot, watches the referee count to ten then gets up and says he’s okay – what are they called in our world?
“I’ve been dropped on my face by Ovill McKenzie and got up at the count of four, been dropped flat on my back by Oleksandr Usyk and up at the count of seven.
“I just believe in getting up and fighting no matter what shape you’re in.”
The conversation on Twitter that kicked things off started when Bellew posted: “He won’t make excuses Liam as it’s not his way but anyone who knows boxing or knows him knows that something was clearly up from round 2 onwards! Credit to Chris Eubank for getting back in there with him but for me that wasn’t the Liam Smith we all know!”
Davies replied: “Didn’t you celebrate like Everton won the champions league after you battered a one Legged David Haye around the ring? We gave you your props for thag win, give Eubank Jnr his props for his win.”
Bellew hit back with: “Once again quitter you couldn’t be more wrong! Watch the fight back and look what I done after the first fight with David! I went over to him stopped my promoter celebrating and helped him walk back to his corner! I then dealt with a fully fit version of him in rematch!”
Replying to a separate commentator who questioned what Davies had achieved in his career, Bellew posted: “Worst part is he didn’t allow himself to get banged out mate! That’s the honorable way REAL fighters go! He chose to take a knee and quit cos it wasn’t going his way! See REAL fighters go out on their shields! He’s a fraud an the truth kills him! Can’t lie to himself can he.”
