Setback in final fight but Bellew bows out with pride
“Heartbroken” British fighter Tony Bellew has said he will not fight again after losing to undisputed world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night.
The Ukrainian maintained his unbeaten record with an eight-round stoppage at the Manchester Arena after a looping left hand sent his opponent crashing to the canvas and, ultimately, into retirement.
British referee Terry O’Connor stepped in and stopped the fight, with 31-year-old Usyk stretching his professional record to 16-0.
In a fight that was more evenly matched than most had expected, Bellew was ahead 67-66, 6865 on two scorecards and level 67-67 on the third going into the decisive round after coming out fighting from the start.
In an emotional press conference following the defeat, 35-year-old Bellew conceded he was devastated by the loss – a victory would have made him the first Briton to hold four world titles in a weight division.
A tearful Bellew said: “It’s definitely over, you’ll not see me in a ring again. Now I just want to be normal, so please leave me alone.
“No one who knows me calls me Tony, I’ve always been Anthony to them. Tony Bellew exists for these cameras really. Tony Bellew died tonight, it’s Anthony that’s left.
“I have won. I sit here as a loser, heartbroken, but I have won in life. When I was expelled in school, I had nothing, with nowhere to go. Now my family are millionaires. I never dreamed this would be possible.
“Tonight I tried a final step and I will be able to live with that forever. Had I not taken it, it would have always been a question of ‘was I good enough?’”
During the conference, both wife Rachael and father, Tony Snr, shouted words of support from the back of the hall, as trainer Dave Coldwell also fought back tears, describing his time with Bellew as “the best five years” of his life.
Bellew, himself a former world cruiserweight champion who moved up to heavyweight and twice beat compatriot and former world champion David Haye, also paid a tribute to his southpaw rival.
“I tried my best. I gave it everything I’ve got,” Bellew told the crowd in the ring straight after the fight, admitting he did not know what round it was or how he had been felled.
“Make sure you clap him because he’s an exceptional fighter ... one of the pound-forpound best. He beat me fair and square, I’ve no excuses.
“He’s an amazing fighter. He is a great champion, the greatest man I’ve ever shared a ring with. He’s just better than me.”
Usyk, the first man to hold the IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC belts simultaneously, has made no secret of the fact he wants to move up to heavyweight and challenge Britain’s reigning champion Anthony Joshua.
“Bringing Usyk to heavyweights will bring some new spirit to the heavyweight division. He definitely needs to fight Anthony Joshua,” said the Ukrainian’s promoter Alex Krassyuk.
Joshua, who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts, was the 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight champion.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist, though, insisted it was “too early” for any move up to take on Joshua and said he was going to take time off after fighting four times in 14 months.