Tony Bellew has replaced Callum Johnson on the bill at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on September 5.
Liverpool star Bellew is hunting a third title shot and first up at Cruiserweight after he gained revenge over bitter foe Nathan Cleverly in a rematch in November and returned to the ring in June with a stoppage victory following a stint in America filming Creed, the latest film in the iconic Rocky series.
Bellew takes the place of unbeaten Light Heavyweight Johnson who has been forced to pull out of a clash with Southampton’s Tony Hill with a virus.
‘The Bomber’ has been in camp with trainer Dave Coldwell, who’s duties will be carried out by Tony Sims on fight night with Coldwell in Texas for Jamie McDonnell’s WBA World Bantamweight title rematch with Tomoki Kameda on Sunday September 6 live on Sky Sports, and Bellew
“Eddie and I have things planned going forward but this outing in Leeds is a bonus for me to stay active and try things out,” said Bellew.
“I’d been ill ahead of my last fight, I’m not making excuses, but I just chose to get the rounds in and in the end I did get him out of there. It was good to get that through that return from eight months out and in Leeds it’s another vital building block to another World title shot.”
Whyte faces Guinn at The O2 Sept 12
Dillian Whyte will face Dominick Guinn at The O2 in London on September 12.
Whyte fights for his first title in the capital against the American and the Brixton man will look to land the belt in style and add to his impressive 12 KO wins and unbeaten 15 fight record.
Guinn brings the power of 24 KOs from 35 wins over the Atlantic, and the experienced Texan – known as ‘The Southern Disaster’ – will be out to inflict a first career loss on Whyte. Guinn has previous with British big guns having beaten Olympic Gold medallist Audley Harrison back in 2006 and his resume includes going the distance with Tomasz Adamek, Kubrat Pulev, James Toney and Tony Thompson.
Whyte has his sights set on show headliner Anthony Joshua MBE who faces unbeaten Scotsman Gary Cornish for the vacant Commonwealth Heavyweight title – victory for Joshua and Whyte will see the pair renew their rivalry at the same venue on December 12.
Dave Ryan and John Wayne Hibbert clash in a rematch of their fantastic battle at The O2 in May with Ryan defending his Commonwealth and WBC International Light Welterweight titles – that clash will be of great interest two four other Light Welterweights who face-off in Greenwich, with Ricky Boylan meeting Danny Connor in a Carshalton derby and unbeaten 21 year old Tommy Martin facing Luton’s Michael Devine.
