Tony Bellew is the new WBC cruiserweight champion.
The Liverpudlian fought back from a first round knockdown to defeat Ilungu Makabu at Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton.
Bellew steadied the ship in the second round before delivering a devastating left hook in the third, which knocked Makabu out cold.
The Congolese fighter took another few shots as he slid down the ropes. Thankfully he was revived and recovered in time to see Bellew claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight strap.
Bellew is now the 13th British boxer to currently hold a world title.
Wow, that Tony Bellew KO https://t.co/VsDt8K6FmO
— James Dart (@James_Dart) May 29, 2016
https://twitter.com/The_KO_Club/status/737033919103676416
The performance, against the highly-rated Makabu, was all the more impressive when a keyed-up Bellew revealed afterwards that his preparations had been upset by a hand injury.
Think Tony Bellew is happy with his WBC belt. Swearing and all… Tut tut pic.twitter.com/arbnNPZCQA
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 29, 2016
After the fight, Bellew called out Russia’s WBA and IBF champion Denis Lebedev and former cruiserweight world champion David Haye.
Talking to Sky Sports, the 33 year old boxer said, “I told you I am Everton. That’s why I got up [after being knocked down in the first round]. Nothing was going to stop me tonight. I achieved the dream tonight, I am world champion, that’s what I am.”
Bellew, who starred in the latest instalment of the Rocky series, Creed, certainly lived up to his nickname “Bomber”.
In a particularly nice touch, Sylvester Stallone took to instagram to congratulate Tony Bellew his title win.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGAjCfkxxT0/?taken-by=officialslystallone
“This man has the heart of a LION!!” Stallone writes. As Ilungu Makabu can now tell you, he can fight like one too.
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