Bellew 7/2 to become Britain’s fifth world champion

Tony Bellew has vowed to learn from his defeat to domestic rival Nathan Cleverly when he steps into the ring with Adonis Stevenson on Saturday night.

The Evertonian gets his second crack at the light-heavyweight championship of the world in Stevenson’s backyard of Quebec and insists he is now a better fighter than the one who tasted his only career defeat against Cleverly at the Liverpool Echo Arena back in 2011.

“Defeat is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Bellew said.

“Whereas I might class myself as undefeated the most important thing is that I’ve learnt from the setbacks I’ve had.”

The Bomber is in confident mood as he prepares to face one of the toughest assignments in boxing in the shape of the man nicknamed Superman.

Despite the 30-year-old’s self-belief, Ladbrokes make Stevenson 2/9 favourite to retain his WBC title, while Bellew is the 7/2 outsider to bring the green and gold WBC strap back to the UK. The draw in Quebec City is 28/1.

The 36-year-old ferocious puncher has recorded 19 of his 22 victories by knockout and lost only once but it is that defeat to journeyman Darnell Boone in 2010, a man who has won 19, lost 21 and drawn three of his 43 fights, which is filling Bellew with plenty of confidence ahead of their clash at the Colisee de Quebec.

“I think I am the Kryptonite – that is the best way of putting it,” Bellew told Press Association Sport earlier this month.

“He has got this moniker, this slogan, this Superman thing – but at the end of the day the cold, hard fact is he has been knocked out by a journeyman, a guy that has won 20 fights and lost 20.

“I am better than Darnell Boone. I am better than any fighter in the world who has won 20 and lost 20. That is a fact.”

Talk is cheap in boxing but if Bellew backs it up in the ring, the 7/2 on the Englishman becoming Britain’s fifth world champion in Canada could provide real value.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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