Cleverly v Bellew II: Bellew accuses Cleverly of running scared

Tony Bellew has accused Nathan Cleverly of running scared in Saturday’s grudge rematch at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.

Bellew ground out a split decision against his bitter rival in their WBO & WBA Intercontinental cruiserweight showdown to claim revenge after losing the first fight three years ago.

However, the Liverpudlian was upset by Cleverly’s performance and at failing to be declared the winner on all three of the judges’ scorecards.

I came to fight him, I turned up and threw punches all night, he was petrified of getting hit by a left hook and he would refuse to throw the right hand.

“I got the victory and that’s all that matters,” Bellew told Sky Sports News HQ on Sunday morning.

“I didn’t get the knockout that I wanted, but I’ve won and I’ve won clearly. I really feel I’ve won a fight and won it by a landslide, an easy fight at the office.

“It takes two to make a great fight and I can only apologise that it wasn’t the spectacle that I wanted it to be.”

Bellew, who lost a majority verdict to the Welshman at light heavyweight, was in no doubt about the result this time round.

“I thought I won nine rounds quite clearly and I’ve watched the fight back a few times now,” added Bellew, who dismissed suggestions that Cleverly may have injured his right hand as he didn’t use it much during the 12-rounder.

“No, there was no injury there because if you look at the latter rounds he’s throwing right hands right around the side of my head, he’s throwing long right hands.

“The thing is that, he knows last night that if he gots knocked out the career is over completely. You’ve got to remember this guy came to fight Sergey Kovalev head on.

“Because when he fought Sergey Kovalev he was undefeated and believed he couldn’t be hurt. He didn’t come to fight me head on.

“I came to fight him, I turned up and threw punches all night - he was petrified of getting hit by a left hook and he would refuse to throw the right hand.

“Last night I was the guy who out-worked the great athlete, I was the fat guy who was throwing all the heavy punches and Cleverly was the supposed great athlete who ran away, just throwing jabs.

“I snapped my right hand in the first fight in the second round,” added Bellew. “I was still throwing right hands in that fight and I had broken my right hand.

Excuse

“Now what’s the excuse there? The excuse is that he didn’t want to get knocked out and he knew he was going to get knocked out had he gone into exchanges with me.

“He wouldn’t exchange all night and like I say, I can’t force somebody to fight. To make a great fight it takes two.

“I’m really disappointed because he said he would fight and I said I would come to fight, but I did, I upheld my part of the bargain.

“I want to fight guys who want to win and want to come and fight and last night he did not come to win.

“I feel like I’m not getting any credit,” added Bellew. “Everybody who’s anybody in boxing said ‘Bellew KO or Cleverly points’ - everybody in boxing said it.

“But I proved everybody wrong last night, I outpointed the guy with the crazy tank, I outpointed the great athlete, I out-worked the speed demon, I out-sped him.

“I did everything better than him last night and still when I come out ‘it’s disappointing, it was a disappointing fightR