Tony Bellew recently caught up with the pound for pound podcast and revealing a fascinating insights into some of his sparring. The sparring sessions in question happened over a decade ago.
‘The Bomber’ delved into the history of his sparring with his upcoming opponent that he will rematch on May 5th, ‘The Hayemaker’ David Haye.
Haye and Bellew will finally meet in their hotly anticipated rematch at the 02 Arena following their unusual and inconclusive first fight following Haye suffering a severe injury to his achilles during the middle rounds.
David Haye had the second stoppage of his career inflicted on him during their first fight in March 2017. They had originally been scheduled to face off again in the final boxing show on British soil of 2017.
However, Haye suffered a bizarre and unusual injury to his bicep which pushed the fight back past the first quarter of 2018.
“Funny thing is, the hardest puncher I’ve ever been hit by is actually David Haye 10 years ago in a sparring session,” Bellew said.
“I didn’t go down, I didn’t hit the floor or anything like that but I’ll tell you something it hurt.”
“Between me and David Price we absolutely spanked him, we gave him a good going over but in the process. He hit me with the hardest uppercut I’ve ever felt in my life.”
David Haye in sparring over 10 years ago
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) December 20, 2017
Lastly, Bellew’s trainer Dave Coldwell touched on his charge’s plans to take on Tyson Fury and his assertion that it is a fight he does not want.
“I know he’s said that he’d want to fight Fury after and if that’s what he wants to do, there’s a big difference between wanting a fighter to pack in because you feel that he’s sliding and wanting a fighter to pack it in because in your opinion he’s got nothing else to prove.”
On May 5, they do it again 🔥 @TonyBellew 🆚 @mrdavidhaye #BellewHaye2pic.twitter.com/rbX5tU74Vb
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 2, 2018
Coldwell also says that despite Bellew being closer to 40 than 30 at this stage of his career.
But Coldwell believes he has seen improvement despite his fighter’s advancing age.
Coldwell however stressed he doesn’t see him fighting more than twice more before hanging the gloves up for good.
“Bellew’s improving, just turned 35 but he’s improving.”
“There are one or two fights left in him. The fights that are left in him have got to be fights he sees as a challenge where he can get his teeth into. That’ll give him the motivation,” Coldwell concluded.
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