Tony Bellew paves the way for world title shot with stoppage win
Saturday 27 June 2015 00:11, UK
Tony Bellew stayed on course for a cruiserweight world title shot after pounding Ivica Bacurin to a halt in the 10th round.
The Liverpudlian has been lined up as a possible challenger for current IBF king Yoan Pablo Hernandez and he warmed up by flooring his opponent three times on the way to victory at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
In the opening round, Bellew sized up Bacurin – a late replacement – with range-finding jabs and a crisp right hand forced the Croatian to hold before the bell.
Worse was to follow for Bacurin in the second as a cuffing hook sent him sinking to his knees. He wisely used a few seconds to regain his senses and tottered out of range for the remainder of the round.
Bellew refused to rush the job, landing two big overhand rights in the third, while he thudded in two more spear-like rights in the fourth.
Gradually raising the tempo, Bellew was shedding any lingering rust after a seven-month absence, and Bacurin strangely turned his back in the fifth. This was an open invitation to the local man, who bludgeoned Bacurin to the canvas.
He rose with a groggy expression and the bell spared him a further onslaught from Bellew.
The man nicknamed ‘Bomber’ was keen to detonate a fight-ending punch and rammed home more right hands in the sixth.
Bacurin stubbornly stood his ground, despite a crunching body shot in the seventh, and seemed to enjoy the home favourite’s growing frustration.
This irritation was evident in the eighth, with Bellew recklessly trading shots at close range, earning angry words from trainer Dave Coldwell at the bell.
Back came Bacurin in the ninth unloading a defiant flurry, but he was blasted to the canvas by a chopping right from Bellew. Again the bell denied the Liverpudlian as he was ready to pounce.
It would prove a last reprieve and Bellew forced his man to a halt in the 10th, jolting Bacarin’s head back with an uppercut to force referee Steve Gray’s intervention.
