Tony Bellew: Boxing’s doping problem is out of hand

Tony Bellew believes boxing will only address its significant drug problem when somebody is killed at the hands of a cheat.

Bellew's claim comes after the brilliant Mexican middleweight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez received a ban of just six months after testing positive for clenbuterol.

Canelo’s ban caused his scheduled 5 May fight with Gennady Golovkin to be cancelled while, on the same night, across the Atlantic, another anticipated rematch will take place when Bellew takes on David Haye at the O2 Arena.

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Bellew, always one of the more outspoken members of the fight fraternity, has had his say on the thorny issue of drugs in boxing after highlighting how he is in serious danger every time he steps through the ropes.

“It's not a deterrent,” Bellew said when asked about Canelo's six-month ban. “I need these organisations Wada, Vada, Ukad or whatever they are called to release all the details.

“If Canelo has genuinely taken drugs then ban him but it genuinely won't change until – and I am sorry to say it – but it until somebody dies at the hands of someone on steroids.

“When that happens you will see the sport change but until that defining moment, you will not see it. Six months, what's the point? No fine? Are you f****** messing me about? When someone dies – and touchwood it isn't me – they will start banning people for life and that will send a message.”

But Bellew fears that the level of performance enhancing drug use is far worse than imagined by most in the business. He said: “You'd be amazed by how many are on it.”

Bellew was in a pensive mood as he held court over a lunch of chicken breast and broccoli in a hotel on the docks of his home city of Liverpool.

He is back home from his training camp in Rotherham earlier than normal after revealing that he has been pushed to the very limit under trainer Dave Coldwell in Yorkshire.

“It's been long and hard and the closer the fight is, I know how serious it gets,” he said. “I've been at it for three months now, I'm at week 12 of a 14-week camp. I'm pissed off and I want to fight the world.

“I'm in my car and little things can push me. I dread to think what would happen if someone confronted me today.

“I've had it a few times in this camp where I've just thought 'what am I doing here?' But I know what Haye's bringing. He has a lot of hatred and anger in him towards me and I'm dealing with a wounded animal.”

Before the pair tangle on 5 May, Bellew's promoter Eddie Hearn has a show in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday as he continues his assault on the American market.

And, on Thursday morning, the Matchroom Boxing boss will meet with Al Haymon and Shelly Finkel, the two main advisors to WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, to discuss the possibility of a summer unification blockbuster with Anthony Joshua.

It has been reported that Hearn made Wilder and his team an £8.8m offer to fight Joshua at Wembley this September but he has received no counter-offer and now wants to meet face-to-face in an attempt to get the deal moving.

“We will sit down and have some scrambled eggs and smoked salmon,” Hearn said. “I don't think they like me and I think they will be quite aggressive but I'll just tell them how it is.

“A meeting like this is what we need. We have our thoughts on how the deal should work. We haven't had any offers from them but I've asked for a meeting and they've accepted that. This fight shouldn't be difficult to make and if everyone puts egos aside we can make the biggest fight in world boxing.”