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Tony Bellew alongside Eddie Hearn after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. PA Wire/PA Images
Time to say goodbye

'There will be no more fighting from me' - Tony Bellew confirms retirement from boxing

The 35-year-old Liverpool native became the WBC cruiserweight champion in 2016.

FORMER WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT champion Tony Bellew has confirmed his retirement from boxing following his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.

Bellew indicated his intention to retire following that eight-round loss earlier this month, and has since confirmed his plan to finish up in the sport in a video posted on his Twitter page.

“There will be no more fighting from me,” said 35-year-old Bellew.

The only thing you will see me doing from here on in is being sensible and behaving myself.”

The Liverpool native made his professional debut in 2007 and went on to win 30 of his 34 fights.

He became the WBC cruiserweight champion in 2016 after defeating Ilunga Makabu at Goodison Park and won the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles and European cruiserweight title.

He also fought at heavyweight and twice defeated his compatriot David Haye in 2017 and 2018 before returning to cruiserweight where he lost out to Usyk.

“I’ve had a fantastic career and realised my dreams,” Bellew continued. 

“On 29 May 2016, my wildest dreams came true. I became [the] WBC Cruiserweight champion of the world at Goodison Park. [It was] the dream location, the dream title, the dream ending with a third round knockout over Ilunga Makabu.”

When asked in the video about what offer would be required to possibly tempt him back into the ring, Bellew replied:

“If Eddie Hearn gets £100m together and offers me one more fight, what do I say? I’d say wow and then walk into the missus and say ‘Eddie has come on board with £100m’ and she would probably hand me divorce papers.

Money is good but money comes and goes, that’s the best way of saying it.”

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