Was it only me who was impressed with Bellew last night?

Last night Tony Bellew carried out a game plan to the disappointment of most people watching. We expected more of what we seen in the first fight. Why would Bellew do that?

McKenzie is easy to outbox at range but tough to out scrap on the inside. He has absolutely no game on the outside and no concept of how to close range he just stands on the outside getting jabbed. Bellew knew he was fighting a guy that could floor him so why not box his ears off?

Bellew stuck to his game plan and although I would have liked to see him throw the right hand over the top more often he probably would have if McKenzie was trying to get inside. I scored it 120/111 so never had Bellew losing a round.

Not the master-class The Bomber proclaimed it to be, but a good performance that showed him to have more strings to his bow than we thought. The main problem may be people expected fireworks and they never got them. Will that put off his chances of getting the Cleverly fight?

Impressed with his discipline, but not much else really. Expected him to box on the outside rather than trade.

McKenzie is strong, but extremely limited. If Bellew were the fighter that he himself believes, he would have looked a great deal better than he did last night. For me, he was still too predictable and rigid, and I find it hard to imagine any way in which he beats Cleverly beyond an enormous haymaker that Clev fails to spot.

Ultimately, he's almost bound to get the fight with the Welshman, who is not going to be entertained by the divisional big boys just yet. I don't want to be too critical of Bellew, who does his best to maximise his talent and now has the titles to confirm it. Frankie Gavin, on the other hand, who has more pure boxing talent than Bellew and Cleverly put together, is in serious danger of losing his way completely, in my view. It's something for another thread, but on a generally less than thrilling night (Mitchell-Murray excepted), I thought that Gavin was the disappointment of the show.

Stared Ovill down at the end of every round like he meant business, but didnt seem as interested when the bell went at the beginning of the rounds.
Had to laugh at the end of the fight when he stared at the Cleverly camp, as if to say "you'll be next". Bet Nathan hasnt slept a wink lastnight!!

I give Bellew a decent chance against Cleverly. If he lands one big shot then Cleverly will try and stand and trade with him playing right into Bellew's hands.

captain carrantuohil wrote:McKenzie is strong, but extremely limited. If Bellew were the fighter that he himself believes, he would have looked a great deal better than he did last night. For me, he was still too predictable and rigid, and I find it hard to imagine any way in which he beats Cleverly beyond an enormous haymaker that Clev fails to spot.

Ultimately, he's almost bound to get the fight with the Welshman, who is not going to be entertained by the divisional big boys just yet. I don't want to be too critical of Bellew, who does his best to maximise his talent and now has the titles to confirm it. Frankie Gavin, on the other hand, who has more pure boxing talent than Bellew and Cleverly put together, is in serious danger of losing his way completely, in my view. It's something for another thread, but on a generally less than thrilling night (Mitchell-Murray excepted), I thought that Gavin was the disappointment of the show.

Gavin lookeds poor last night. He looked very soft round his mid section, his reflexes were poor and he looked considerably slower. He is not a 147lbs fighter he isn't big or strong enough. He is a 140lbs fighter. McGuigan is spot on about him he could be the biggest waste of talent since Nas.

Am always a bit loath to criticise a guy when he is pitching a shut out as Bellew did last night but was vaguely disappointed, thought the commentators were a little harsh on Bellew because he was winning the fight so onus is more on Ovil to make adjustments, however if, as seems to be the case Bellew is being lined up for Clev next legitimising that fight by putting on a more exciting display would have been the order of the day.

As for Gavin obviously only having seen the highlights is tricky to offer any sort of definitive comment but you have to worry, looked far from cut and on the back of the Mutley performance you have to worry because with the greatest respect to Woodhouse who has done well to get as far as he has in such a short space of time, someone with Gavin's class and potential should not be having a life or death type struggle with him. Hopefully this will be the wake up call and either Warren or Farnell will read him the riot act.

Watt wouldn't shut up, the most repetitive man in boxing.

Glad you posted this in light of Watt's awful commentry and his pathertic sidekick joining in, was also glad Tony gave Adam Smith the answer he deserved in the interview.

The 3 lads in the studio agreed entirely with what Bellew did, his career simply could not afford to get caught by one of Mckenzies big rights, but Bellew's tactics didnt even allow him to throw many of them. He will box a diiferent fight against Clev should he get it, and I'd still expect Clev to beat him, but should Clev continue to refuse to box to his stengths the Tony has a shot.

As for Gavin, he confirmed all our worst fears about him last night, needs to wake up quickly.

Can somebody explain what's wrong with boxing sensibly to a points decision cos I'm at a loss?

What's more important looking after your career, or risk losing just to please the fans?

It's not the place of the post-fight interviewer to ask inflammatory questions imo, these matters should be analyzed by the panel in the studio.


Sky need to get some class. Kellerman's the same at HBO. Who do they think they are these compares!

Look forward to the fight with Cleverley- will be rooting for The Clev in that one! No offense like

aja424 wrote:Stared Ovill down at the end of every round like he meant business, but didnt seem as interested when the bell went at the beginning of the rounds.
Had to laugh at the end of the fight when he stared at the Cleverly camp, as if to say "you'll be next". Bet Nathan hasnt slept a wink lastnight!!

I agree, what's the point staring at Ovil while he's walking away, just to runaway from him every round.

The staring thing is a fairly pointless critisism to be honest, maybe he was psyching himself up, who cares though. As for running away, well it took makenzies only real weapon out of the fight.

Not at all surprised that Bellew decided to work at range last night, and nor do I blame him for that, either. As others have said, why play in to your opponent's hands when doing so last time almost proved disasterous?

But what did disappoint me is that he didn't beat him in anywhere near as dominating a fashion as he should, regardless of the wide margins he secured on the cards. He generally didn't have to exert himself to edge rounds, when in fact, given how gun-shy his opponent was, he should have been totally dominating them instead. He can call it a masterclass if he likes, but there are a good few others who would have done away with McKenzie - even if it was with a safety in mind performance - more conclusively than that. He needed to win inside the distance to make the Cleverly fight look a bit more credible than we thought it was - based on last night, it's got an easy night's work for the Welshman written all over it.

Stinka dee doo dah....stinka dee day.....

Lacks class for me.....that chin won't carry him to world level either...

Cleverly early if they meet.......

As for Gavin...can understand as woodhouse has lost recently how he could not get up for the fight...

Kid has talent and a southpaw stance which should carry him a long way when he fights more meaningful encounters..

Be more worried for Bellew though..looks ordinary to me.

Day V Lately wrote:The staring thing is a fairly pointless critisism to be honest, maybe he was psyching himself up, who cares though. As for running away, well it took makenzies only real weapon out of the fight.

I think it was Mckenzie who needed to psych himself up, why disrespect your opponent like that when he had nothing but respect for him at the end, yes Bellew did well and stuck to a game plan, but it showed he's found his level.

I agree he probably isnt world level, i dont think I'd go as far to say staring someone down while in the ring is disrespect though, it goes on, and doesnt really mean a great deal. I also think Clev would win, but do think its a fight worth making.

Truss, if this is Bellew's level at least he has managed to reach it, which is more than could be said for fat time Frankie, the kid needs to sort himself out.

Day V Lately wrote:I agree he probably isnt world level, i dont think I'd go as far to say staring someone down while in the ring is disrespect though, it goes on, and doesnt really mean a great deal. I also think Clev would win, but do think its a fight worth making.

Truss, if this is Bellew's level at least he has managed to reach it, which is more than could be said for fat time Frankie, the kid needs to sort himself out.

I would when that person is giving you nothing back and the fight is dull as dishwater. He should back up his stare downs, if he wasn't so much of an idiot i wouldn't mind as much, but unfortunately these are the kinds of things that make him an idiot, he's not running about the schemes in Liverpool now.

I have no problem with how he boxed, but he was giving it large before the fight so I was disappointed at his revelation he didnt throw a power shot all night.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:I have no problem with how he boxed, but he was giving it large before the fight so I was disappointed at his revelation he didnt throw a power shot all night.

Exactly and then stood and stared down his man as he walked back to his corner all night like he was going to murder him.

I'm amazed that followers at boxing are actually surprised when they don't do what they promised in the pre-fight build up.

Scottrf wrote:I'm amazed that followers at boxing are actually surprised when they don't do what they promised in the pre-fight build up.

Bellew has only ever boxed one way so I was disappointed.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:

Scottrf wrote:I'm amazed that followers at boxing are actually surprised when they don't do what they promised in the pre-fight build up.

Bellew has only ever boxed one way so I was disappointed.

But got loads of criticism, then said he would box against McKenzie.

"Like I said I had a game plan! People are going on like I box like this everytime?? Listen I can't be in fights like the first one all the time! I'll prove myself with time! I'd happily fight Murat next or Cleverly!

What I do know is that I will adjust and adapt with each opponent! I'll play to my strengths! I fully expected McKenzie to come out all guns blazing but he didn't! That's not my fault! Had he flew at me then the knock out would have come I'm sure but he didn't so I continued to dominate the fight risk free!

I've been boxing a long time and that was one of the only times I've stayed concentrated throughout a whole fight! I'm grateful to my team and my fans!

Thank You"

I've got no problem with Bellew boxing rather than going into a war during the fight, the problem was how poor he did look while boxing McKenzie.

He was basically allowed to do whatever he wanted during the fight and for large periods any amount of time to do it in yet he was far from brilliant. Any time McKenzie decided to actually wake up and remember there was a fight going on Bellew looked a bit of a mess boxing wise.

I don't blame him for boxing but I do think if thats the extent of his talent against someone as limited as McKenzie then he's got problems when he moves up his opponents.

I've got to be honest with you, although he sat back for the first ever time and boxed, I hardly saw any real quality in the punches or anything, and you could most definately tell it wasn't his normal game as he looked a bit limited against an EXTREMELY limited fighter, be suprised if he lasts past 4 against Clev in honesty who I think is genuinely world class.