Tony Bellew admits his dream of winning a world heavyweight title is over and will instead focus on claiming all the marbles at cruiserweight after the David Haye rematch.
Bellew stepped up in weight last March to knockout Haye in the 11th round after the Londoner ruptured his Achilles midway through the fight.
The injury-prone 37-year-old then tore a bicep forcing their rematch to be postponed, scuppering Bellew’s plans to challenge Joseph Parker for the WBO crown.
“My plan was to beat Haye and go for Joseph Parker, who I believed I could beat,” Bellew told BBC Five Live.
“I have to look past fighting the heavyweight champion of the world now; the dream isn’t going to come true.”
“I believe Joshua will defeat Parker and I’m not touching the WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, no chance in this world. He’s huge, and I’m not going anywhere near Joshua. These modern-day heavyweights are just too big,” he continued.
The re-scheduled return on May 5 will earn the 34-year-old a career-high purse but cost the Liverpudlian his world title.
In March the WBC issued a statement confirming Bellew as their new Emeritus champion, curtailing his reign as cruiserweight King. It read:
“Tony Bellew has become a major attraction in the heavyweight division and is at this moment uncertain of his next steps following his life-changing victory, “
“WBC has made him Emeritus Champion – so he can return to contest the title at any time.”
The “Bomber” also declined a World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight invitation in favour of the lucrative match up with Haye, but soon intends on reclaiming his old strap.
“This World Boxing Super Series has been a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, Usyk comes through the final, and I am happy to face him. I am 100% certain I could find a way to beat him, and it would be very hard. If I say ‘Usyk I want my WBC belt back’, he has to face me or lose it,”.
World Boxing Super Series will culminate in a unified champion. Bellew described dethroning the tournament winner and becoming undisputed as “mission complete.”