Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg: Tony Bellew believes pressure will have a major say in outcome
Friday 26 February 2016 08:36, UK
Tony Bellew has warned Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg they are entering a whole new world of pressure on Saturday night.
The cruiserweight contender topped the bill against bitter rival Nathan Cleverly back in November 2014 and, despite no world titles on offer, the animosity in the build-up was similar to the rivalry between that of Quigg and Frampton.
But Bellew believes Saturday's unification fight will be "20 times bigger than anything either of them has faced" and that will bring the sort of pressure neither has experienced before.
"Neither of these two have fought on such a massive scale like this," Bellew told Sky Sports.
This is a genuine 50-50 fight, but the scale of Saturday night is 20 times bigger than anything either of them has faced
"I've been there, on the Sky Sports Box Office platform, in a fight like this.
"It has the same rivarly and bitterness and the pressure that comes with that is unbelievable, it really is.
"Both Quigg and Frampton are going to have to go through that and they can tell you it's not going to affect them, but believe you me once you leave that dressing room and make that ringwalk, it does affect you.
"Somewere along the line it comes out - and it will."
Bellew is likely to be one of the big British boxing names at ringside at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night and is not ruling out a cautious start between Frampton and Quigg.
He is one of many fighters that is labelling the bout as a "genuine 50-50 fight" and believes the mistakes they both made in their last fights, combined with the added pressure, could make them both vulnerable early on.
Quigg knocked out Kiko Martinez in the second round after a shakey opening round, while Frampton eventually held on to his IBF title despite being put down twice against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.
"I think we all saw Quigg against Martinez, when he was in trouble in the very first round, but he got through a major, major situation," said Bellew.
"But in this one he can't afford to have the same sort of first round.
"And it goes without saying that Frampton can't afford to have the sort of first round he had last time out either.
"They both had terrible first rounds but they both came through and won, which shows what a 50-50 this is. But the scale of Saturday night is 20 times bigger than anything either of them has faced."
Bellew admits Frampton might have the edge when it comes to the basic size of the crowd on Saturday night, but is not ruling out a rematch - just like he had with Cleverly.
"If it's close I think we will see a rematch. If it goes to the scorecards, definitely," he added.
"Basically the reason why me and Cleverly had that remach was because there was no other big fighters, with the money, around for us.
"At super-bantamweight the big name is Rigondeaux and I think they both understand that he's not right for those same reasons."
Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office on February 27, is available to order via Sky remote and online
