{"id":242979,"date":"2023-12-05T10:25:20","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T10:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=242979"},"modified":"2023-12-05T10:25:20","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T10:25:20","slug":"tony-bellew-opens-up-on-retirement-from-boxing-in-candid-im-a-celebrity-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/tony-bellew-opens-up-on-retirement-from-boxing-in-candid-im-a-celebrity-moment\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Bellew opens up on retirement from boxing in candid I\u2019m a Celebrity moment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tony Bellew has opened up on his retirement from boxing in a candid moment on I\u2019m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here<\/em>.<\/p>\n Bellew, a former cruiserweight champion and current contestant on I\u2019m a Celebrity…<\/em>, retired from the sport after his knockout loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2018.<\/p>\n Bellew, 41, was stopped by Usyk in the eighth round while challenging the Ukrainian for the undisputed cruiserweight titles. The Liverpudlian then called time on his 11-year professional career, while Usyk, 36, has since stayed unbeaten and become unified heavyweight champion.<\/p>\n \u201cMy body stopped me. It\u2019s so dangerous, it\u2019s brutal,\u201d Bellew said on I\u2019m a Celebrity <\/em>on Monday (4 December). \u201cBoxing is the most damaging sport in the world. A professional boxer, it\u2019s estimated that he will get hit in the head 50,000 times a year\u2026 [I thought], \u2018That\u2019s going to catch up with me at some point.\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cI can accept that, I knew it when I got into it: \u2018I know what I\u2019m signing up for.\u2019 If tomorrow I go into a coma because of the punches I\u2019ve took, that\u2019s on me. That\u2019s no one else. I\u2019m not suing no one, it ain\u2019t their fault.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to say to my wife, \u2018I\u2019m going to get hurt at some point.\u2019 She would know. You\u2019ve got to accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n Bellew\u2019s loss to Usyk was his second pro defeat, in a career that included back-to-back wins over former world champion David Haye.<\/p>\n Usyk is set to fight Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia in February, with the Ukrainian\u2019s unified titles and the Briton\u2019s WBC belt on the line. The winner will be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years.<\/p>\n I\u2019m A Celebrity\u2026 Get Me Out Of Here!<\/em><\/strong> continues Tuesday at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX<\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n