How'd do you think he will fare? I dont think he'll carry the weight well. His a lanky/skinny type of guy, he might be faster than most cruisers but he will be a KO waiting to happen. If a blown up SMW, abiet hard puncher can get him on ***** street.... I'm sure fully fledged cruisers will have no problem. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/25219334 Liverpool's Tony Bellew plans to move up to cruiserweight after losing his WBC light-heavyweight world title fight with Canada's Adonis Stevenson. Bellew told BBC Radio Merseyside he had gained 17lbs in weight since Saturday's sixth-round defeat in Quebec City. "I've basically been on a diet for six years. I can't continue to punish my body the way I do. "I think it's time for a new chapter and I'll be making the step up to cruiserweight," said the 31-year-old. "It will be better for the fans because I'll be in much more exciting fights again. I'll be back to the old me. I want to fight the best people out there and ultimately I'm determined to win a world championship." And he has not ruled out a possible rematch with Welshman Nathan Cleverly, the only other man to defeat Bellew during his 23-fight professional career and who himself has recently switched to cruiserweight. "I'm going to fight the best fighters at cruiserweight, I'm going to make it work for me and I'm going to be a force," said Bellew. "I feel I'll be much more powerful and much happier in myself. I'm excited about what lies ahead for the future." He is convinced that he will be a much-improved fighter in the higher weight category and admitted the years of dieting had "taken its toll" on his body. "I look at my body frame and shape compared to most guys in the division above me [cruiserweight] and I'm even bigger than them. Play media"The next weight up is 14st 4lbs and I've been making 12st 7lbs. It's hard and it's tough. I don't make any excuses and I lost to the better man [Stevenson] on the night," said Bellew. "'If it's not broken, don't fix it.' That's the mentality I've had for the last six years. I kept plugging away and gone in there with the elite fighters in the division. It has taken its toll now and my body can't do it. "I made the weight [for the Stevenson fight] on the Wednesday and I gained five pounds just eating a couple of breasts of chicken. That's how crazy it is. It's just a step too far. [Four days after the fight] I'm 17lbs heavier than I was in the ring."
Perhaps he will pad out well and be more comfortable at the weight. I don't see him being much more than a journeyman but good luck to him.
Him and Cleverly can go again in their new division. Then the winner will claim they are ready for anybody.
Why does it makes sense for Bellew to move up but not Cleverly? Both got ko-ed by better opponents, I can't see either beating any of the beltholders..... Moving up for both is best.
Lets put it this way he is not going to look cut like Holyfield at CW. He is just gonna look fat. British level fighter.
he didn't look ripped at LHW so i think he will be fat as CW. I remember Adamek being ripped and weight drained at LHW and at CW he was fine.
Kinda this ^. Bellew was a big LHW (fought at 190 against the 189 Stevenson - Kovalev, for comparison was about 182). He's already fighting against smaller guys and can neither stop them, or, as it turns out take the heaviest punches. I can't really see what there is to gain for him. Just feels like a reflex reaction to being stopped (a la Cleverly) - it's like they'd prefer to think they lost because they're wrong size rather than just because neither really belongs at the very top level.
How was he weight drained? He's a career LHW - no one's ever called him weight drained before - he fought at 190 ffs. He did fight as an am at 90kg (effectively cruiser) to be fair - but chose to fight as a big LHW to gain the size advantage. I do kinda see the point tho. Anyone who is putting on 15lbs for fight night is probably (at least in the longer term) in the wrong division. I just can't see him (or Clev for that matter) doing better at cruiser.