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'this could be my last year'

Tony Bellew says fight against David Haye next month will be one of his final bouts

TONY BELLEW has revealed that his fight with David Haye at the O2 on March 4th will be one of his last fights.

The WBC world cruiserweight champion told the Fight Disciples podcast: “I’m edging towards the end of this crazy game. Hopefully this could be my last year in the game - more likely in the next 12 months.

 Tony Bellew (r) has revealed his fight against David Haye could be one of his last
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Tony Bellew (r) has revealed his fight against David Haye could be one of his lastCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

"I just think these could be the last ones. I’ve always been adamant that I will retire from boxing, boxing will not retire me. I’ve always believed that. Don’t overstay your welcome.”

If Tony Bellew is to retire, he would of made a good mark on the sport of boxing.

Having won the WBC cruiserweight world title in front of a home crowd at Goodison Park and staring in a Rocky movie, he can leave with his head held high.

 Bellew has had a distinguished career but is getting on a bit
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Bellew has had a distinguished career but is getting on a bit

The "Bomber" added: “I’ll be honest, when I won that world title at Goodison Park, if that fight had made me financially secure you would never have seen me in a boxing ring again.

"I didn’t make a ton of money that night. I could knock this clown out [Haye] in 20 seconds of the first round and it wouldn’t even be half as good as Goodison.

"Money can never give me what that night gave me. But big fights are the only things that interest me now.

“For someone like me you’ve got to look at it like this: if you’re playing a video game, I’ve clocked the game. I’m trying to get the bonus things out of the game now.

"I’ve exceeded my expectations in this business. Now the only thing left to do is secure my kids’ future.”

 Tony Bellew is the current WBC world cruiserweight champion
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Tony Bellew is the current WBC world cruiserweight championCredit: Getty Images

Bellew went on to talk about Haye's diva like demands. He said: “I had to give in to a lot of diva-ish demands from Mariah Haye, it was unbelievable.

"I thought I was going to have to give him a piggyback into the ring!

"I must be seated at the press conference until he sits down was one of the rules, I must be seated in the blue corner, I must be this, I must be that.

 Bellew is a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club
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Bellew is a lifelong supporter of Everton Football ClubCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

"He soon found out I’m not a man who plays by the rules.

"I said listen, let’s just cut a long story short, can I pick my own shorts, can I pick my own gloves? Yes, yes. You can have everything else.

"All I care about is fighting.”

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