Tony Bellew
told Ringside that his victory over Isaac Chilemba saved him from a
possible career meltdown.
The Liverpool pugilist drew with Chilemba in
late March but bounced back in fine style to beat the 26-year-old on points at
the 02 Arena on May 25 on the Carl Froch-Mikkel Kessler undercard.
Bellew revealed that he would have struggled
to step back between the ropes had he lost to the Malawian, but explained that
he was delighted by the manner of his win in London, which made him a mandatory
challenger for the WBC light-heavyweight title.
"Everything was on the line [against
Chilemba] and I would go as far as to say that if it didn't go well that night,
I don't know if I could have got back in the ring," said Bellew, whose
only career defeat came in 2011 at the hands of fellow Brit Nathan Cleverly.
"I bullied
Chilemba and proved that I am a better fighter than him."
Tony Bellew
"Going through a camp for 12 weeks,
having three days off and then going through another 10-week camp emotionally
and physically breaks you, while I also read and listened to everything the
doubters had said.
"But I kept my head down until the fight
and it felt like mission complete when I'd won - and I was really happy with
the way I did the job second time around to get rid of Chilemba.
"I made him angrier than before, bullied
him, roughed him up and dealt with him in every minute of every round - and
proved that I am a better fighter than him."
Groove
Dawson was conquered by Andre Ward last
September when he dropped down to super-middleweight, but Bellew expects the
American to fire again now that he has returned to his preferred division.
The Merseysider is tipping Dawson to retain
his belt in Montreal - but says he would have no qualms facing either fighter
and would even head into Stevenson's territory in pursuit of his maiden world
title.
On Dawson, who defeated the veteran Bernard
Hopkins to earn his gold, Bellew said: "He didn't impose his will at any
point against Ward, but it is rare you see Dawson floored so heavily so early
on in a fight.
"He wasn't right at 168 pounds, and
certainly didn't look like the fighter that I know he is, and the million
dollar question is whether that will affect him - but I think that when he is
at 175 pounds and gets into his groove Stevenson will be in trouble.
"Stevenson brings power, though; he is
heavy handed in both hands, is wild and doesn't have any regard for defence -
but if I could pick one of them to fight it would be him as it would be a war
in the middle of the ring.
"I have hundreds and thousands of
Scousers that want it [at home] but I would go to Stevenson's backyard - and I
mean his backyard."
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