Wednesday 26 November 2014 11:42, UK
Tony Bellew is off to see Everton play away in Europe for the very first time.
The 31-year-old beat rival and fellow cruiserweight Nathan Cleverly on points on Saturday, hours after his Premier League side defeated West Ham 2-1.
Bellew, a lifelong Evertonian, earned a world title shot on the back of his win but even that was nothing compared to flying out to Germany to see Roberto Martinez's side take on Wolfsburg on Thursday.
And while he is a step closer to winning a world title, the former light-heavyweight admits his ultimate dream is to play for Everton, while Thursday will also tick a big box.
"It's going to be the first time I get to see Everton away in Europe," he told skysports.com.
"I've never had the chance. I've always wanted to but I've always been fighting or doing something to do with boxing and couldn't go.
"I coudn't go to Lille because I was in camp and the last time they were away in Europe I was training for a fight.
"Something has always been in the way and all I was waiting for was to come through Saturday night and then I got a text from the club saying 'you are coming as our personal guest'."
Everton beat Wolfsburg 4-1 at Goodison Park in their first Group H game and are top of the table, knowing a draw will take them through.
Bellew's #One2Eleven
Ahead of his showdown with Cleverly, Bellew appeared on The Fantasy Football Club, where he picked his #One2Eleven of his favourite Everton players. Read on to see who he selected...
GK: Neville Southall
This is a tough one. Tim Howard has been a fantastic goalkeeper at our club but he’d have to do crazy things to beat Neville Southall. The big man was a fantastic ‘keeper and for someone of his size and frame, his speed and reflexes were unbelievable.
CB: Dave Watson
The captain of our FA Cup-winning side in 1995, Watson was a hard man and a no-nonsense defender. He wasn’t the quickest but he had a good brain for the game and was never found wanting when it came to guts and sheer determination.
CB: Phil Jagielka
People said it was a gamble when we got Jags in, but for the money we paid for him, I think he’s been outstanding for the club. He can do it all and has gone on to be a regular England international, something you don’t get to be if you are not a top, top player. His goal against Liverpool this season gets him in my team alone! He saved my face walking down Anfield Road after the game and gave be the biggest smile you’ve ever seen.
CB: Gary Ablett
No-one spoke badly of Gary. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and he was a fantastic guy, who was loved by everyone. He was a really good player who did a great job for Everton – and a great job for the other side as well.
RWB: Seamus Coleman
He has fantastic pace, can defend well and works really, really hard, so he is a must. To get a player like him for 60k in the modern game is unbelievable. He is made up that he is a professional footballer and always has a big smile on his face.
LWB: Leighton Baines
I read Roy Keane’s autobiography and he said how when he tried to get Leighton up to Sunderland, Leighton said that if Everton came in for him he would go there instead as he was a total Evertonian. That says everything you need to know about Bazza.
DM: Peter Reid
I’m not sure there’s ever been anyone tougher than Reidy to wear an Everton shirt. He is idolised here. He has been a fantastic servant to the club and always stayed close to it. You can see with the way he still talks about Everton how the club touched him.
AM: Tim Cahill
This lad would throw his head onto a brick if it was coming into the box. He is the best header of a ball I have ever seen live; his spring is unbelievable. He sacrificed everything, coming over from Australia with a pair of boots and suitcase in his hand and then giving it everything. I have been over to New York Red Bulls to see him and he is still the same TC I remember.
AM: Kevin Sheedy
He had an unbelievable left foot and there was nothing he couldn’t do. I’m sure if you spoke to players they’d say you always had a chance of scoring if Sheedy was in the pitch. He cannot miss out on this team.
CF: Duncan Ferguson
I idolised Duncan as a kid, he was my hero. I wanted to be him but I was only good at following his physical attributes, not his footballing ones. He was a very underrated player, good with his feet, fantastic in the air, read the game very well and could shift for a big man. He is an Everton legend.
CF: Graeme Sharp
This was the toughest one as we’ve had some fantastic forwards and out of Gary Lineker and Sharp I am going to go with the guy I feel is a proper Evertonian. Lineker would score you more goals than Sharp, I am confident in saying that, but Sharp could do more than Lineker. He gave the club every ounce he had.
