Sunday 29 November 2015 11:55, UK
Tony Bellew is predicting a 'full-blown war' when he takes on Mateusz Masternak in December.
Bomber will go face-to-face with the highly rated Polish cruiserweight at the O2 in London on the same night Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte finally meet, and Bellew expects it to set up a world-title shot if he wins.
Both fighters are highly ranked by all four major governing bodies' and Bellew (21-2-1-KO16) made it clear that only a victory will keep his dream alive.
I am predicting a full-blown war with Mateusz Masternak because I'm not moving and I know 100 per cent, he's not going to move either.
"I will be going in with a very tough and very durable guy," he told Sky Sports.
"This guy pushed WBC champion Grigory Drozd all the way just before being stopped in the 11th and this is a make-or-break fight for me.
"Victory means a world-title fight, simple as that. I have to show the minerals, the guts, everything as usual and on December 12, I will do that.
"I am predicting a full-blown war with Mateusz Masternak because I'm not moving and I know 100 per cent, he's not going to move either."
Masternak (36-3-KO26) has never fought for a world title and took on the current WBC champion two years ago, when the European strap was on the line.
Bellew though hopes victory will make it third time lucky at his preferred weight, having lost to Nathan Cleverly (October 2011) and Adonis Stephenson (November 2013) down at light-heavyweight.
He was ringside for Sky Sports on Saturday night, when Callum Smith beat Rocky Fielding to move closer to a WBC super-middleweight world title attempt a month after younger brother Liam becoming Liverpool's first world champion for more than 22 years by winning the WBO super-welterweight crown.
