Liverpool boxer Tony Bellew has vowed to become world champion at the home of his beloved Everton.
Bellew, a lifelong Blues supporter, is close to confirming a May 29 title fight against Congolese fighter Ilunga Makabu at Goodison Park after it emerged last week that the club had successfully applied for a boxing license.
And the 33-year-old, who recently appeared in Rocky film Creed – a fictional tale that concluded with a fight at the home of the Blues- disclosed that a deal is in advanced stages.
“I haven’t slept all night because now it’s done,” said Bellew in an interview with local radio.
“I am fighting at Goodison Park, May 29th, under the lights, on a bank holiday Sunday. It’s never been done before.
“Myself, Eddie Hearn and the chairman (Bill Kenwright) have got this together. It was on the verge of falling through and then we sat down in a room, looked at the possible dates and I said to them: “listen, I know this is a gamble but trust me, Liverpool comes alive on a bank holiday.
“Eddie stuck with me and believed, and the chairman wanted it as much as I did.
“We also need one more thing from the council but they’re right behind us. Most things have been given and approved, there’s just one more minute thing to do but I don’t see that being an issue whatsoever.
‘The council have been behind me from day one, as an amateur going around the world for my country. The only other issue was the pitch being ripped up but we got over a lot of hurdles in a short space of time.”
Evertonian Bellew was keen to emphasise that the bout should be seen as a celebration of Liverpool’s sporting pedigree and not something solely of interest to the blue half of the city.
He added: “This is not just about me, this is about Scouse boxing.
“When you see the bill that we have prepared, it’s Scouse boxing versus the world. It’s not just about Tony Bellew, it’s an event for Scousers – Everton and Liverpool fans. It’s going to be huge.”
And the Scouse boxer admitted that winning a world title at Goodison Park had been a childhood dream, with Bellew now increasingly confident of lifting the title in his home city next month.
“When you’re thinking about Goodison Park and something you’ve dreamed of since you were a couple of years old, it keeps running through your mind. I couldn’t sleep. May the 29th is also my son’s eighth birthday so it’s just a crazy, crazy day.
“Liverpool is going to have a new world champion on May 29th, that’s the best thing I can say. I don’t care how good this guy (Makabu) is, I know where he’s from. I’ve been through so many different things that it’s time to become a world champion now.
“(I’ve been a) British, Commonwealth, European champion and I’ve travelled the world but I’m going to become world champion in that ground on that night.”