Tony Bellew vs Oleksandr Usyk press conference - as it happened

The two cruiserweights met ahead of the November clash

Tony Bellew vs Oleksandr Usyk

Tony Bellew refused to be daunted by Oleksandr Usyk, as the pair met for a press conference in Manchester ahead of their eagerly anticipated title fight on 10 November.

Bellew, who previously held the WBC cruiserweight title before stepping up the heavyweight to twice defeat domestic rival David Haye, will return to his old weight class to challenge the formidable Usyk.

The affable scouser will start as the underdog. Usyk boasts a flawless professional record of 15-0 amd became the first boxer in history to hold all four major world championships at cruiserweight when he took apart Murat Gassiev to win the World Boxing Super Series in July.

The Ukrainian dominated at amateur level too, winning Olympic and World Championship gold alongside his compatriot and good friend Vasyl Lomachenko. It promises to be an extraordinary fight. Here's how the press conference played out.

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[24 September 2018 13:42 · Adam Hamdani]

Usyk interrupts Bellew

​"I'm not a monster, I'm a white rabbit!"

[24 September 2018 13:44 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew

"There's being an amazing amateur and there's being amazing in the professional ranks. I have the one thing he doesn't, a punch that can end it. One slip up. one mistake and it's over."

[24 September 2018 13:45 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew

"I'm a bit of a lunatic at times. I just like fighting. He's the best, there's no two ways about it. When I beat him on November 10th, he's going to go on and beat a portion of the heavyweight championship world. He's an amazing fighter. When that fight comes around, I'm a different person. I will not admire him, I will fight with everything I've got. You will have to nail me to the floor to keep me there - and you could, I'm not stupid. But I don't think you can.

"You don't want it as much as I do."

[24 September 2018 13:47 · Adam Hamdani]

Oleksandr Usyk on why he wanted to fight Tony Bellew

"I tell you why, he is the man who takes the biggest challenges. He is not the kind of usual boxers who see how hard it is and quit. He stays until the end, this kind of fight is one the world wants to see."

[24 September 2018 13:47 · Adam Hamdani]

Oleksandr Usyk on Tony Bellew saying he has no punch power

​"He's kidding."

Simple.

[24 September 2018 13:48 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew on if it's his biggest challenge in boxing

"No. Nothing can ever top Goodison Park. If I lost that, I could never have shown my face again. The opponents are getting better but the truth is I'm getting better. He's a superstar, I told him on Saturday. The only thing he doesn't have is the looks. He can do everything besides the one big bang. His greatest asset is his feet."

[24 September 2018 13:49 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew

"No matter what he says, he'll be shocked by me. I'm the quickest cruiserweight he's ever faced. Boxing is all about timing and taking the opportunities at the right time."

[24 September 2018 13:50 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew on retirement after this fight

"If I don't stop now, she'll divorce me after four or five months and that's not the plan. Babe, if you're watching this, I promise you this will maybe be my last one."

Everyone at the press conference laughs. 

[24 September 2018 13:52 · Adam Hamdani]

Tony Bellew interrupts Eddie Hearn's closing speech

"This is one great fighter, one fat lucky guy."

He's in good mood this afternoon but after this, it's all business.

[24 September 2018 13:52 · Adam Hamdani]

Press conference over, now onto the head-to-head between the two fighters.

The second in a few days.