Tony Bellew has admitted that he may not fight again following his sensational victory over David Haye.
The Liverpudlian stopped Haye in the 11th round of their heavyweight clash at the O2 Arena – now everyone is predicting a re-match, but Bellew is clear unsure what is next.
“It will take some very big and very spectacular to draw me back out.”
Tony Bellew
“It could be, I am content with my life and I have been wise with my money – it will take some very big and very spectacular to draw me back out,” Bellew told TalkSport.
“I will retire from boxing, boxing will not retire me.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that he wants Bellew to challenge for a heavyweight title by taking on Deontay Wilder or Joseph Parker.
“He’s just beaten one of the best heavyweights in the world, so do you want to go back down to cruiserweight or fight Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker?” said Hearn.
“I think we could bring Wilder or Parker to the UK. This fight has done great numbers and they aren’t going to get that money anywhere else.
“That could have been a final eliminator for the world heavyweight title. He’s beaten one of the best heavyweights in the world, so as far as I’m concerned he’s earned his shot.
“Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder are the two fights. We’ve got one of the biggest fights in British boxing history [Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium] on April 29, but I believe Britain can have two world heavyweight champions, because I believe he [Bellew] can beat Wilder and Parker.”
Massive respect to two warriors #HayeBellew ?? pic.twitter.com/rHNIYXc9oL
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) March 5, 2017
Bookmakers will certainly be hoping for a re-match so they can have another bumper weekend after record action was reported.
Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: “Despite being written off as a mismatch beforehand the public took to this fight like never before and betting interest was through the roof. We’d love to see the rematch if it suits the fighters, although Bellew definitely appears to have plenty of options.”
He added: “Haye is installed as the favourite to level the scores but it would be no surprise to see interest in the 2/1 offered about Bellew after the nature of the first bout.”
Ladbrokes latest betting on Haye Bellew II
Haye 2/5
Bellew 2/1
Draw 33/1
Potential Bellew Fights
Tony Bellew – 4/5
Joseph Parker – 1/1
Draw – 33/1
Deontay Wilder – 1/4
Tony Bellew – 3/1
Draw – 33/1
Tony Bellew’s next opponent
Joseph Parker – 3/1
Deontay Wilder – 5/1
Dillian Whyte – 6/1
Luis Ortiz – 8/1
David Haye – 10/1
Denis Lebedev – 16/1
Christian Hammer – 20/1
Marco Huck – 20/1
Kubrat Pulev – 20/1
Mairis Bredis – 25/1
Murat Gasiev – 33/1
Oleksandr Usyk – 33/1
Anthony Joshua – 33/1
David Price – 50/1
Tyson Fury – 50/1