Lately, Tony Bellew has been very vocal about taking on UFC middleweight champion, Michael Bisping.
The thing is, the WBC Emeritus World cruiserweight champion seems keen on fighting in a cage. On the other hand, the UFC champion would like to do it in a boxing ring.
“Michael [Bisping] wants to fight me in a boxing ring, which would be absolutely ridiculous. I do not want to render someone unconscious in twenty seconds. That does not appeal to me,” said Bellew to Boxing Social
Bellew believes he could choke Bisping out in a cage
“I would wrestle with Michael Bisping all day long. It would not be an issue. It would not be a problem,” commented Bellew.
Bisping has responded to Bellew’s call outs on his own personal podcast show ‘Believe You Me’.
“Tony ‘B*ll End’ Bellew, who is a boxing world champion, was at it again this week. He was calling me out and saying that he wants to fight me. He actually said that if he’d come to the UFC, he would choke me out unconscious within two minutes. Yeah I know it’s hilarious,” said Bisping.
When Bisping’s co-host suggested that he should actually fight Bellew in an MMA match, the UFC middleweight champion responded:
“I could do that but let’s be honest the paydays are better in boxing.”
Bisping then sent a direct response to Bellew’s call out.
“Tony Bellew, if you are listening, I’ve got no problem being the next guy. After GSP [Georges St-Pierre], I’ve got no problem going over to boxing and whooping his ass and putting him to sleep. Because I won’t gas,” said Bisping.
Bisping also mentioned that due to Conor McGregor, the public is more interested in cross over fights.
“I’m glad that Conor did well because if Conor got smoked so easily then nobody would be buying that. No body would be interested in seeing an MMA guy cross over to boxing. Conor proved that an MMA fighter can certainly hang in the boxing world. For sure.”
For an actual fight to happen between the two is still very unrealistic at this point. But one thing is for sure: both sides have agreed that if the money is right, Bellew-Bisping could happen in 2018.
But before that, there is still the more relevant question of who will Bellew fight in December?
The Liverpudlian has been in talks with Andre Ward and also been linked to possibly fighting the current WBO World heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker.
There’s no doubt that behind the scenes there are talks with David Haye’s camp as well and David Coldwell, Bellew’s trainer, has said that things are moving forward.
Expect fewer pieces to puzzle once Parker and Hughie Fury finish their business on September 23rd.
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‘The Bomber’ Says He Could Strangle Michael Bisping In A Cage