Tony Bellew wants Andre Ward out of retirement for cruiserweight battle in UK
Bomber's beloved Goodison Park or London's O2 could house the next chapter of the Everton fan's amazing journey
TONY BELLEW wants to resurrect Andre ‘Son of God’ Ward’s career after burying David Haye’s.
The 35-year-old Everton nut smashed the Hayemaker into obscurity on Saturday night with a five-round mauling that should signal the end of Haye’s once-magnificent career.
And — after admitting that heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are unrealistic targets — Bellew wants to lure pound-for-pound master Ward out of retirement.
The undefeated American, a 2004 Olympic gold medallist and two-weight world champion, hung up his gloves after doing the double over fearsome Sergey Kovalev in 2017.
But Bellew’s promoter Eddie Hearn has already held talks with his trainer Virgil Hunter and says a cruiserweight battle at London’s O2 Arena, or at Bellew’s beloved Goodison Park, is on the cards.
The Matchroom kingpin said: “I spoke to Hunter a while back and asked if Ward was done and he said he would be ready for Bellew.
"I was actually talking at one stage of having him as standby for this fight just in case Haye wasn’t fit.
"I like the fight and again people will give him no chance, but up at cruiserweight, it’s a real fight.
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He was paid a lot of money for Kovalev, too much money, so I don’t know what deal he would want, but it’s a box office fight.
"We could do it at the O2 again or Goodison Park.
"Last time we had 18,000 at Goodison — we’d probably have 55,000 this time."
Ward does not possess concussive KO power but is one of the most intelligent fighters of his generation and Bellew puts him up on a pedestal alongside ring great Bernard Hopkins.
But Bellew believes he can smash him off of his perch alongside some of boxing’s best.
He said: “I will knock Andre Ward out or I will outbox him.
"He’s a pound-for-pound great but I will beat him.
"I can match him on the inside, he has never fought anyone who could do that.
"He is Bernard Hopkins but 20 years younger, he’s a brilliant fighter and a legend but I know I can beat him.”
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Hearn — who is the first to admit he loves a pound note — has urged money-mad Haye to quit after he was destroyed.
The once-unified cruiserweight king and WBA heavyweight champ took an unedifying beating at the O2 that he said would unravel all of his brilliant early achievements.
Hearn said: “He is not as good as he once was. He is not the old Hayemaker.
"He hit Tony with a big shot and you could see he was not hurt. David’s not the fighter he was.
"He’s no longer marketable on box office. If he fights Dillian Whyte, it’s a big O2 fight but it’s not box office.
"He spent a lot of time not giving people value for money on pay per view and, although the first fight was a bit weird, there was a lot of drama.
"But he put his b******s on the line and didn’t take a knee. I’d advise him to quit.
"He came up to me at the end and said, ‘I really enjoyed that fight’.
"He enjoyed the war but he’s never been hurt like that before.
"Three times he was out down and the last one was heavy."
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Tony Bellew was emotional after beating David Haye as he revealed his personal torment over the death of his brother in law
Bellew met fiancee Rachel at the airport at 1.30pm on Sunday after sending his family away on holiday to avoid the circus.
And he now faces showdown talks with her — the only person in the world who scares him — over whether or not he should continue.
After suffering a family tragedy earlier in the year, the mum of his three children could call quits on Bellew’s career — but he is desperate for another nod from the boss.
He said: "It’s been a disastrous eight months. I can’t even put it into words. But it all makes sense when I get in a boxing ring. I just like fighting."