Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor


British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Tony Bellew is just 24 hours away from his defining night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool against arch-rival Nathan Cleverly and believes that the Welshman's style suits his own.

The brash Liverpudlian almost stepped in at the last minute to face Cleverly in May as the Cefn Forest man picked up the WBO title, only for weight and timing issues to rule out the domestic grudge match. Both fighters have since traded insults at press conferences and the weigh-in, with Bellew adamant that he has the title holder's number.

“I’m thrilled he is the champion because I wanted to fight him for the world title,” Bellew told walesonline.co.uk.

“Cleverly fights with his face and is tailor-made for me. I can produce a KO at any point of the fight, not just early. I have great stamina and am a natural athlete.”

Bellew has 16 fights behind him in just under four years as a pro and some believe that the ‘Bomber’ has talked himself into a title shot by choosing Cleverly as his main focus over the past year, although the Liverpudlian is confident he can step up a level tomorrow night.

“I know he is an athlete too, he has superb hand speed and is lightning quick, but I can beat him.

"Both of us can be hit, but I hit harder than he does,” he added.

Weigh-in video: http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2011/10/wbn-video-cleverly-v-bellew-weigh-in.html