Only ring death will force action
TONY BELLEW has delivered a devastating attack on the sport’s authorities, saying they will only take drug cheats seriously when a steroid user commits “premeditated murder” by killing someone in the ring.
In a hard-hitting outburst, Bellew lashed out at the sport for failing to deal with drugs in boxing as he believes anyone caught taking performance enhancing substances should be banned for life.
“It [boxing’s outlook on drug cheats] genuinely won’t change until – and I’m sorry to say it – someone dies at the hands of someone on steroids – because then it is premeditated murder.
“When that happens you will see the sport change, but until that defining moment you will not see it. When someone dies – and touch wood it isn’t me – they will start banning people for life and that will send a message.
“But it will take someone losing their life because people understand that lives are more important than money.”
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is the most recent high-profile name to have received a ban for failing a drugs test. The Mexican, suspended for six months last week, blamed the results on contaminated meat.
And Bellew said: “Six months – what’s the point? No fine – are you messing me about?”
Bellew is back in action on May 5 when he faces David Haye in a muchanticipated rematch at the O2 in London.
The Liverpool heavyweight shocked former world champion Haye when they met last year, stopping him in the 11th round after the Londoner suffered a ruptured Achilles halfway through their fight.
The build-up to their first bout was marred by controversy, with Haye fined £25,000 by the British Boxing Board of Control after admitting his pre-fight comments brought boxing into disrepute. Haye has adopted a respectful tone in recent months but Bellew, a former world champion at cruiserweight, has scoffed at suggestions he is a changed man. “He’s about as humble as Madonna,” said Bellew. “David wasn’t humbled, he has just got humble pie on his face because what he said, he didn’t do. Everything I said in the build-up came true. David is trying to market himself in a better way: look at his training videos, he says nothing controversial.
“This is the fella who said he was going to render me unconscious, this is the same fella who said that I’m the worst world champion in history ever.
“I don’t forget that. Those thoughts don’t change overnight, you don’t go from being the worst world champion ever to thinking, ‘Right, this guy can really fight’.
“It’s just that it didn’t work for him and because it didn’t work, he has now changed his approach. But his mindset is still the same when it comes to me.”
Asked what his motivation is ahead of the rematch, Bellew said: “To prove everyone wrong – again.
“It seems to be a common theme: Bellew is the massive underdog and he just wants to prove everyone wrong.
“The plan is just to do it again and win at all costs. That’s the difference between me and him: you will see when we get to a certain level it’s just win at all costs, I have to win. “I’m not someone who can come home and just accept losing. “I’m a winner through and through and that’s one of my strongest attributes. I have to win and I will do whatever takes to win on May 5.
“I’m in good shape, I’m in good spirits and I’m ready for another war.”