Monday 17 November 2014 16:03, UK
Ovill McKenzie lost a battle of wits against Tony Bellew, but expects his former opponent to be far more aggressive in the rematch with Nathan Cleverly.
The 34-year-old Jamaican twice shared the ring with Bellew, enduring two starkly different defeats, and will watch with interest when he faces Cleverly again on November 22, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Before he first laid fists on Cleverly, the Liverpudlian had to get past the big-hitting McKenzie and was pushed to the brink in their original meeting in 2010.
Bellew was floored twice in the early rounds, somehow clambering up from a heavy second knockdown, but then dropped his foe in the eighth, prompting the referee to wave it off soon after.
More drama was expected when the two punchers collided again in a rematch just over seven months later, but the ‘Bomber’ employed more disciplined ring skills to earn a wide points win.
McKenzie remains frustrated about how the rematch unfolded, although he admits that Bellew nullified his strengths with a different game plan.
“The second fight, I hate that fight, it wasn’t an exciting fight,” McKenzie told Sky Sports. “I came for a tear-up and to put on a good show, and Bellew went into that shell where he was boxing and moving.
“He was wary. After the second fight, he comes to my changing room and told me he never wanted to go through that again. He had to do what was needed to win the fight.”
Bellew also overcame Isaac Chilemba in a second bout after a drawn first meeting and is preparing for his third rematch, this time against Cleverly.
The Welshman took a majority decision in their first encounter at light-heavyweight in 2011, the judges favouring his high work rate.
I think he will try to stop Cleverly this time. He will try to stay away from him a bit more and catch him with that right hand.
But they meet again at cruiserweight and McKenzie believes the Merseysider will go for the jugular on this occasion.
Asked if Bellew will change tactics, he said: “I think he will, because I think he fought the wrong fight with Nathan Cleverly.
“I never expected it to go the full 12 rounds. It was a good fight, a sparking fight, but I never thought Bellew would fight like that. He fought Nathan Cleverly’s fight.
“I think he will try to stop Cleverly this time. He will try to stay away from him a bit more and catch him with that right hand.”
McKenzie has also swapped punches with Cleverly in sparring sessions with the former WBO light-heavyweight champion.
The 28-year-old lived up to his reputation as a relentless puncher, but McKenzie also felt he was more defensively sound than Bellew.
“He’s got a high work rate - he works a lot,” said the current British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion.
“When I sparred with him, he threw a lot of punches. You can’t beat him on work rate.
“I don’t try to knock people out in sparring, because you’re trying to learn something. But to tell the truth, I’ve never caught Nathan with a punch like I’ve caught Bellew with before, so at the minute I give it to Cleverly.”
With the fight drawing closer, McKenzie was unable to pick a winner, but is confident the feud will be settled with a stoppage victory.
“It will be a good fight, just like the first,” he said. “I think somebody is going to get knocked out. It isn’t going the distance. Someone is going to be knocked out this time.”
Watch Cleverly v Bellew II live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office on November 22, with Joshua, Groves, DeGale and more, also on the bill. Go to skysports.com/cleverlybellew to book.
