Tony Bellew makes surprise Anthony Joshua admission years after ruling out fight

Tony Bellew has admitted that he would fight Anthony Joshua if he was still competing in the sport after previously ruling out a showdown against the 37-year-old.

It's almost eight years since Bellew announced his retirement from boxing, calling time on his professional career after being knocked out by Oleksandr Usyk at the Manchester Arena.

Usyk has since cemented his place as one of the greatest fighters of this generation, having become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion with an unbeaten record from 24 fights.

The 39-year-old most recently vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF titles, with his "last dance" in the sport potentially serving up a blockbuster fight against Deontay Wilder.

Should the Ukrainian boxer be granted his wish of fighting Wilder, he will soon reflect on an incredible career in the ring, and that is something Bellew did following his retirement in November 2018.

Bellew, who recorded 20 knockouts and just three losses across 33 fights, famously became the WBC cruiserweight champion in May 2016 with a knockout victory against Ilunga Makabu.

The Liverpudlian then moved up to the heavyweight division in 2017, and pulled off a stunning triumph over David Haye in March of that year before beating him emphatically 14 months later with an explosive stoppage win.

At around the same time, Bellew harboured ambitions of becoming heavyweight champion, and there was even talk of him fighting the winner of the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko bout in April 2017.

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However, the Bomber instantly shut down any chance of him fighting Joshua - who eventually lost to the legendary Klitschko - after claiming he was "too big".

"I'm fighting, let's get it straight, a big cruiserweight, a very small heavyweight," Bellew said in February 2017.

"I'm not big enough, I know I like to kid sometimes and mess around, and I have thought about it - to face the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko winner. But in all honesty, Anthony is just too big.

"I think he's a lovely lad as well. I actually admire him; I'm a fan of Anthony Joshua's."

Bellew famously ducked any chance to fight AJ, but nearly a decade on from making those comments, the retired fighter has changed his mind.

Tony Bellew would fight Anthony Joshua now

In his appearance on the Fights Your Corner podcast, in partnership with Midnite, Bellew was asked by Johnny Nelson whether he would get in the ring with Joshua now. And he confirmed that he would.

"100%. I was adamant I wouldn’t fight him, but now, I would," Bellew admitted. "I don’t want to, but I don't care what anybody says, every man has a price."

"I look at him now, and I just want to help him."

"Brendan Ingle would’ve done wonders with AJ. Brendan Ingle trained so many different styles."

"Everyone thinks Naseem Hammad was a showboater. He was one of the most clinical and aggressive counter-punchers you’ll ever see."

Joshua is currently preparing for his fight with Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, and victory against the Albanian could set up a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury in Las Vegas.