McCrory, Moore and Nelson address the issue
Friday 26 June 2015 11:06, UK
Tony Bellew is back at cruiserweight and is hoping to be back with a bang when he faces late replacement Ivica Bacurin at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Friday night. What do The Panel make of his future?
The Evertonian last fought in November when he avenged a light-heavyweight defeat to Nathan Cleverly with a hard-fought points win at cruiserweight.
Bellew (23-2-1-KO14) has since taken time off from the sport to try his hand at filming but is relishing a return to the ring in front of his home fans as he prepares to take on Ivica Bacurin, who stepped in to replace Lubos Suda at late notice.
Bacurin (22-7-1-KO12) has been in ruthless form of late - disposing of his last four opponents inside two rounds in his native Croatia - so what do The Panel think of his chances of causing an upset?
Glenn, Jamie and Johnny have their say...
This guy may be a late replacement but you can't afford complacency.
I think Bellew has learned a few lessons since the Ovill McKenzie days, when he was completely gung-ho. Having said that, Bacurin has been stopped before and once you've been stopped once you can certainly be stopped again.
Bellew definitely has the punching power. I think he's going to be wary of what's coming back and Bacurin has stopped his last four opponents inside two rounds.
I think Bellew has learned a few lessons since the Ovill McKenzie days, when he was completely gung-ho.
If Bellew gets it in his head that Bacurin is dangerous, and he may well do, then I expect him to be very cautious for the first few rounds. Then once he gets his confidence, he'll see that the guy can be hurt.
Glenn's prediction: I see Bellew getting a late stoppage. I think he might have to survive some tough patches early doors and he'll have to be careful. Once the confidence starts flowing, he'll do the business.
I think Bellew can win a world title eventually because I think Yoann Pablo Hernandez is beatable. Bellew had those world title shots at light-heavyweight and really I always thought he was a cruiserweight anyway.
Coming up against someone like Adonis Stevenson, who is an elite level fighter and an awkward southpaw, Bellew was tight at the weight and up against it. To get a second chance at cruiserweight having beaten Nathan Cleverly in a rematch, he's going to re-establish himself.
If he's going to do it, the time is now because I've got a feeling that if he doesn't do it now, the opportunity is going to slip away from him.
If he's going to do it, the time is now because I've got a feeling that if he doesn't do it now, the opportunity is going to slip away from him.
Jamie's prediction: Tony has to keep his wits about him because Bacurin may be dangerous and Tony has been on the floor a few times in his career. I think Dave Coldwell has got him boxing with a bit more discipline these days though and I see Bellew getting him out of there in about four or five.
I think Bellew has learned a lot since we first saw him. The old gung-ho ways of his earlier days are over. He learned from the Ovill McKenzie fights and he learned a lot from that.
He's a very clever guy, Tony Bellew and I'm sure he'll have done his homework as much as possible and will be looking to weather an early storm before turning it on.
He's a very clever guy, Tony Bellew and I'm sure he'll have done his homework as much as possible and will be looking to weather an early storm before turning it on.
It can be difficult when the opponent changes so late but it's all about Tony Bellew anyway. He's boxed at world class for a number of years so he'll be able to adjust to a late opponent. He can box on the front foot as well as the back foot.
Spencer's prediction: I think Bellew will be cautious for a few rounds but as it goes on I think he'll take control more and more and force a stoppage.
At cruiserweight, he's better off. He's had a taste of being in the world title realm and he has that hunger. He wants to be a world champion and I know he's training really hard with a view to doing that.
The guys hit harder in that division because they're naturally bigger. There are some tough cookies out there for him to fight but there's still a stronger chance of him becoming a world champion at cruiserweight than light-heavyweight.
There are some tough cookies out there for him to fight but there's still a stronger chance of him becoming a world champion at cruiserweight than light-heavyweight.
He's had enough time off to fill out in to the weight so now he just needs to prove to himself that he can compete and capture world titles in the cruiserweight division.
Johnny's prediction: I know he's been training very hard with Dave Coldwell and he's hitting very hard. I've seen a few of his sparring sessions. I can see Bellew getting a late stoppage.
He has the snap and it's better earlier than later. He'll either wait for a second wind or pull it out really early in the fight.
Watch Bellew v Bacurin, Callum Smith v Christopher Rebrasse, Rocky Fielding v Brian Vera and Martin Murray v George Beroshvili, live on Friday night from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1
