Tony Bellew facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Bellew
Bellew in 2020
Statistics
Real name	Anthony Lewis Bellew
Nickname(s)	Bomber
Rated at	Light-heavyweight Cruiserweight Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 3 in
Reach	74 in
Born	(1982-11-30) 30 November 1982 (age 42) Liverpool, England
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	34
Wins	30
Wins by KO	20
Losses	3
Draws	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing English National Championships Gold 2004 London Heavyweight Gold 2005 London Heavyweight Gold 2006 London Heavyweight Silver 2007 London Heavyweight

Anthony Lewis Bellew (born 30 November 1982) is a famous English former professional boxer. He competed from 2007 to 2018. After retiring from boxing, he became a boxing expert and commentator. Tony Bellew held the WBC cruiserweight world title from 2016 to 2017. He also won many other important boxing titles in the UK and Europe. Before becoming a professional, he was a three-time amateur heavyweight champion. You might also know him from the movies Creed and Creed III, where he played a boxer named Ricky Conlan.

Tony Bellew's Early Life

Anthony Lewis Bellew was born in Liverpool, England, on 30 November 1982. He grew up in the Toxteth area of the city.

Tony Bellew's Boxing Journey

Starting His Professional Career

Tony Bellew started his professional boxing career on 6 October 2007. He won his first fight by a TKO (Technical Knockout) in the second round. He continued to win many fights in 2007, 2008, and 2009, building an impressive record of 12 wins with no losses.

Becoming a Commonwealth Champion

On 12 March 2010, Tony Bellew fought for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title. He won the fight and became a champion! He successfully defended this title two times. In one of these fights, he had to recover from being knocked down twice but still managed to win.

In July 2011, Bellew defended his Commonwealth title again. He also won the vacant British title in the same fight.

Big Fights and Challenges

Tony Bellew had a big fight against Nathan Cleverly on 15 October 2011. This was for the WBO light-heavyweight world title. Cleverly won the fight by a close decision.

After this loss, Bellew bounced back. He won the British light-heavyweight title again by knocking out Danny McIntosh. He also won the WBC International title by stopping Edison Miranda.

Facing Isaac Chilemba

In 2013, Bellew fought Isaac Chilemba twice. The first fight was a draw, which meant neither boxer won. They had a rematch, and this time, Bellew won by a clear decision. This win brought him closer to another world title shot.

World Title Challenge Against Stevenson

After beating Chilemba, Bellew got a chance to fight for the WBC light-heavyweight title against Adonis Stevenson. This fight happened on 30 November 2013. Stevenson won the fight by TKO in the sixth round. After this fight, Bellew thought about moving to a heavier weight class called cruiserweight.

Moving to Cruiserweight

Tony Bellew moved up to the cruiserweight division in 2014. He won his first fight in this new weight class by knockout. He then defended his new title successfully.

Rematch with Nathan Cleverly

On 22 November 2014, Bellew had a rematch with Nathan Cleverly, but this time they fought as cruiserweights. The fight was very close, but Bellew won by a split decision. This meant two judges thought Bellew won, and one thought Cleverly won. After the fight, Bellew said he was happy it was "over" and that their rivalry was settled.

Becoming a World Champion

On 29 May 2016, Tony Bellew got his chance to fight for the WBC cruiserweight title. He fought Ilunga Makabu at Goodison Park in Liverpool, which is the home stadium of his favorite football team, Everton. Bellew was knocked down in the first round, but he got back up and knocked out Makabu in the third round! This was a huge moment for Bellew as he became a world champion for the first time.

Defending His Title

Bellew successfully defended his WBC cruiserweight title on 15 October 2016 against BJ Flores. Bellew knocked Flores down multiple times and won by knockout in the third round. After this win, Bellew challenged former world champion David Haye to a fight.

Moving to Heavyweight

Big Fights Against David Haye

Tony Bellew decided to move up to the heavyweight division to fight David Haye. Their first fight was on 4 March 2017. This was a very exciting fight. Haye injured his ankle during the fight, and Bellew took control. Bellew won by TKO in the eleventh round. After the fight, Bellew thought about retiring, but he decided to fight again.

A rematch between Bellew and Haye was set for 5 May 2018. Bellew won again, knocking Haye down three times and winning by TKO in the fifth round. Bellew dedicated this win to his late brother-in-law.

Return to Cruiserweight

The Final Fight: Bellew vs. Usyk

On 10 November 2018, Tony Bellew had his final professional fight. He challenged Oleksandr Usyk, who was the undisputed cruiserweight world champion. This meant Usyk held all the major world titles in the cruiserweight division. Bellew said this would be his last fight, win or lose.

Usyk won the fight by stopping Bellew in the eighth round. Bellew fought bravely, but Usyk was too strong.

Retirement from Boxing

After his fight with Usyk, Tony Bellew announced his retirement from boxing right there in the ring. He finished his career with 30 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. All three of his losses were against reigning world champions.

Bellew said he wanted a "normal life" and that his body could no longer handle the demands of boxing. He officially confirmed his retirement on 22 November 2018.

Life After Boxing

Since retiring, Tony Bellew has stayed busy. In 2020, he appeared on the TV show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. In 2021, he joined the UK commentary team for DAZN, sharing his boxing knowledge with fans. In 2023, he was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, where he finished as the runner-up.

Personal Life

Tony Bellew is married to Rachael, and they have four sons. He is a big fan of his hometown football team, Everton F.C.. He often entered the boxing ring to the "Theme from Z-Cars", which is the same song Everton uses when their team enters the pitch.

Professional Boxing Record

Boxing Titles Tony Bellew Held

Major World Titles

• WBC cruiserweight champion (200 lbs)

Silver World Titles

• WBC Silver light-heavyweight champion (175 lbs)

Regional and International Titles

• WBC International Silver light-heavyweight champion (175 lbs)
• WBO International light-heavyweight champion (175 lbs)
• Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion (175 lbs)
• British light-heavyweight champion (175 lbs)
• European cruiserweight champion (200 lbs)

Honorary Titles

• WBC Emeritus Champion

Pay-Per-View Fights

Movies and TV Shows

See also

In Spanish: Tony Bellew para niños