Tony Bellew, the former world champion boxer, has come clean about his chances against boxing legend Evander Holyfield. The man known as 'The Bomber' admits Holyfield would've knocked him out, even when Bellew was at his best.
Bellew, who's got a deep love for boxing history, shared his thoughts in a recent chat with Coral. He didn't hold back when talking about the two-weight world champ Holyfield.
"I'd have loved to have had a roll around with Evander Holyfield. He'd have knocked 10 living daylights out of me, but I'd have loved to have faced him. Brilliant style, great fighter, absolute legend and an icon of the sport."
Bellew's not just blowing smoke. He knows his stuff. The Liverpudlian's got his own impressive record. He grabbed the world title in May 2016, knocking out Ilunga Makabu in the third round at Everton FC's home ground. That win was extra sweet because Bellew had to pick himself up off the canvas in the first round.
His career wasn't all smooth sailing. He lost to Nathan Cleverly at light-heavyweight, then again to Adonis Stevenson when he was seriously weight drained. His last fight was a loss to Oleksandr Usyk for all the cruiserweight belts in Manchester in 2018.
But Bellew had his share of big wins too. He got revenge on Cleverly in their rematch and took out BJ Flores. His biggest nights came against David Haye. They fought twice, both times on Sky Sports pay-per-view. Bellew stopped Haye both times, in March 2017 and May 2018, though Haye was past his best and dealing with injuries.
As for Holyfield, he's in a league of his own. He's one of only three boxers, along with David Haye and Oleksandr Usyk, to win world titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. His list of wins reads like a who's who of boxing greats - Mike Tyson (twice), George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Riddick Bowe.
Holyfield wasn't just about raw power. He had an incredible work ethic, amazing toughness, and serious boxing skills. These qualities have cemented his place as one of the all-time greats in the sport.
Bellew's honesty about his chances against Holyfield shows he's got a good grasp on reality. It's refreshing to hear a boxer speak so openly about how they stack up against the legends of the sport.
