- Oleksandr Usyk/Murat Gassiev winner
Never defeated at cruiserweight Tony Bellew has stated he would like to challenge the winner between Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev who compete in the final of the World Boxing Super Series. Although flirting with heavyweight showdowns with Deontay Wilder, Joseph Parker and Tyson Fury, Bellew had reiterated several times in the build up to his David Haye rematch he is not a natural heavyweight. Although Uysk currently holds the WBC world title Bellew finds himself the ‘emeritus’ champion which means should he wish to come back to 200 pounds he is automatically mandatory for the title he never lost. With the winner of the WBSS set to hold all four versions of the world crown this would give Bellew the opportunity to become undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Despite stating his case for not being a heavyweight, the financial gain competing at the weight is evidently more than at cruiserweight. Bellew has been honest in conceding the likes of Anthony Joshua and Wilder are too big for ‘The Bomber’ to compete with, the Liverpudlian has said he believes a fight with Fury would be feasible as he does not think the former unified world heavyweight champion has the same punch power as ‘AJ’ or the ‘Bronze Bomber’. Although a fight would be difficult to make due to Fury’s commitments to BT Sport and Bellew’s to Sky, a showdown between the pair would bring fireworks in the build up and action in the ring.
Once opponents on the set of ‘Creed’ Bellew and Ward could collide in real life. Since Ward retired after defeating Sergey Kovalev for the second time, the former unified super-middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion had already fuelled rumours of a comeback hinting it would be another step up in weight. Bellew confirmed to Boxing News in August 2017 he had already sat down with Ward and his team to discuss a real-life rematch of the Creed showdown between ‘Ricky “Pretty Boy” Conlan’ and ‘Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler. Although at the time, the money was not right, maybe the right terms can be negotiated.
- Dillian Whyte
After Haye had pulled out of the proposed December date for their rematch the ever game Dillian Whyte offered his hand to replace ‘Hayemaker’ however, Bellew declined. This led to Whyte labelling Bellew a ‘let-down’ and branded the refusal to fight him ‘disgusting’. Since then Whyte and Bellew have seemed to have patched things up with the ‘Body Snatcher’ even offering his support to the Liverpudlian before his Haye rematch. Eddie Hearn has cited Whyte as a possible opponent for Bellew before if he was to stay at heavyweight. So this fight could happen if Bellew remains at heavyweight and fancies another domestic clash.
- Mairis Briedis
Although beltless having lost his WBC crown against Usky, Briedis won the vacant title against German Marco Huck after Bellew moved on to heavyweight. Bredis took Uysk to the wire in their bout with one judge scoring it a draw, the Latvian came away with much praise after his valiant effort in the WBSS final. If Bellew is to return to his former weight and looking for a commendable opponent to face before a potential shot at the WBSS final, Breidis could act as a perfect, yet dangerous welcome back to cruiserweight.
