Tony Bellew says he intends to ‘seek and destroy’ Roberto Bolonti when the pair fight for the vacant WBC Silver light heavyweight title at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, live Sky Sports on Saturday in Betfair’s ‘True Brit’.
The Bomber has warned his Argentine opponent that he will adopt different tactics in Nottingham than those used when he beat Edison Miranda with a ninth round stoppage in September. Bellew also believes Bolonti is not a better fighter than Miranda, despite having a higher ranking.
“I am not going in there to box and move with Roberto Bolonti,” he said. “The tactics I use won’t be the tactics I employed for the Edison Miranda fight – I would say it will be more like the tactics I employed for the Danny McIntosh fight, and we saw how devastating that knockout was.
“It is about seeking and destroying and really hurting someone and getting a vicious knockout; that is what this fight is about. I believe I am good enough to go in there, stand there and trade. I can go into this fight and have a fight and I am happy to do that. You don’t go in with a guy like Edison Miranda and start fighting fights on his terms.
“People weren’t happy on the night because I boxed cautiously and used my skills but I can’t be having wars every time and I have realised that. I could have upped the pace sooner and stopped him a bit faster but all that said, I still did a job on Edison Miranda and I did exactly what I said I was going to do and that was to punish him and to stop him. Not many people stop him and I have stopped him, so I have to be happy and grateful for that.
“I believe that Roberto Bolonti is not going to be able to stand up to what I have got and I don’t believe he is going to be able to take it. Come November 17 all will be revealed but I can guarantee one thing; there will be no moving about, no boxing, it is going to be a seek-and-destroy mission.
“Bolonti is a step up from Edison Miranda according to the rankings, according to the organising bodies he is a big step up. But watching his fights and watching how he fights, do I think he is a step up? Boxing wise, not really, no, because I don’t think he poses the same threats as Edison Miranda poses.
“I think he poses different threats but in the same respect he is virtually an undefeated fighter because he only lost very early on in his career. He is unbeaten in over six years so that makes him a very dangerous fighter, and not somebody who is going to want to lose. I cannot take him lightly but at the same time, I don’t think he is better than Edison Miranda.”
Tickets for Betfair’s ‘True Brit’ are on sale now priced £80, £120 and £200 from the Capital FM Arena Box Office on 0843 373 3000 and at www.capitalfmarena.com
Betfair’s “True Brit,” presented by Matchroom Boxing, will be distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 PM/ET – 12:00 PM/PT on bothcable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.
“True Brit” will also be available to view via Fight Now TV, America’s only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel, on Cablevision channel 464 as part of the iO Gold package.