Tony Bellew: I’d never return to the ring – family is more important

Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew has told William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ new show, No Tippy Tappy Football, that he would never consider coming out of retirement and returning to the ring.

Speaking to William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ No Tippy Tappy Football, a new series in which Sam Allardyce and host Natalie Pike are joined by a special guest each week to discuss the big stories surrounding the World Cup, Bellew said: “I don’t think I can be tempted back. The reason I stopped is because I promised the kids I’d stop. I went out at the top and I went out dignified.

“I don’t want to be one of the sob stories in boxing when guys continue to do it because they can’t let it go. I’d done everything I’d wanted to do – I’d become British and Commonwealth champion and I’d fought and lost to the very best on the planet in Oleksandr Usyk. Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say, ‘he was the better man’ – he was absolutely amazing.

“Thankfully I’ve done well – I’m a kid off the streets in Liverpool, I grew up with not very much at all. I had two fantastic parents who were very proud of me and I now have a lovely wife and kids, they’re the most important thing in life.”

When asked about fellow British boxer Tyson Fury’s multiple returns to the ring, most recently in 2022, Bellew said: “I’m not doing a Tyson Fury – he’s definitely a one-off, he’s retired more times than John McLean! I wish him well, he’s absolutely fantastic, but I think at one point he’ll understand what’s important in life.

“I just knew it was time to stop with myself, I was constantly getting injuries – in my last five fights I had a major injury going into four of them. It was just my body saying’ ‘listen, it’s time to stop’. I would have injuries during my training camps such as broken ribs and cracked knuckles, and I just had to fight with them because they just couldn’t be put off.

“I hope Tyson finds a way to find peace in his life and just enjoy being a father and a family man, because you can’t box forever. You just cannot continue to fight and fight forever.”

Time for Chisora to call it a day

Bellew also revealed he has a close friendship with Fury’s most recent opponent, Derek Chisora, and discussed how he has previously pleaded with the 38-year-old to hang up his gloves.

“I’m close to Derek [Chisora] and I love him to pieces, but I don’t want to see him back in a ring”, he said. “I begged him to stop but he won’t – he just loves fighting. He isn’t even doing it for the money, he just wants the fighting. I understand if lads are skint and you’ve got to carry on fighting because you’ve got a family to provide for, but Derek is financially good, he doesn’t need the money.

“He’s got a beautiful wife and two beautiful little girls – you’re no good to your family if you’re incapable of looking after yourself. That’s what boxing does, that’s the harsh reality, I know people don’t want to hear that but that’s just the way it is.”

“You have to understand how dangerous boxing is – we look at it from the outside as a sport and just two fellas having a little fight for 36 minutes, but some fighters don’t make it out.”