Bellew called Usyk the greatest cruiserweight since Holyfield

Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew is confident that he will be able to take away all the championship belts in his weight category from their current owner Alexander Usyk. Meanwhile WBA obliged Usyk to defend his title against its champion in recess Denis Lebedev.

"When we get down to it, I'll be in the ring with a phenomenal boxer, a man who has brought the amateur style that won him Olympic gold into the professional arena," Bellew said in the interview to BBC Sport.

"But make no mistake, I will not stand in awe or admire him from afar. I will push him to the absolute limits and let's see what he's got. Let's see what he's like when it's really hard. I've been down, got off the floor, overcome major cuts in fights, been behind on the cards, I've experienced everything in this game and I don't believe he has.

"I've not heard one reporter say they think I can beat him yet but I've been written off forever. This bout is one I could sign off on. If I lose, which I could, then so be it. But I know I am going to beat him. I don't know how, I just know I'm going to get to him. Of course, I'll watch Usyk and, let's be honest, he will see far more flaws in me than I do him.

"But I have that one-punch power that he doesn't. I can iron this fella out with one punch. It takes one movement, one mistake, sucking him in for one second and I will put him out."