On this day in 2009: Bellew stops Velecky in the first round in Liverpool
The stoppage came 1:28 into a scheduled eight-rounder and formed part of a year that Tony Bellew finished with a perfect 12–0 professional record.
Tony Bellew stopped Jindrich Velecky in the first round at the Echo Arena in Liverpool 17 years ago today, on 30 October 2009, keeping his professional record unbeaten as he built towards title fights.
The contest was scheduled for eight rounds and ended by technical knockout 1:28 into the opening session. Velecky was one of four men Bellew beat in 2009, alongside Matthew Ellis, Nick Okoth and Martial Bella Oleme. Bellew had started the year at 8–0 and ended it at 12–0.
The titles followed. Bellew held the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight belts between 2010 and 2014, then moved up to cruiserweight, where he held the European title from 2015 to 2016 and the WBC world title from 2016 to 2017.
Bellew was 26 on the night he beat Velecky and had turned professional in 2007 after winning the ABA heavyweight title three times as an amateur. He boxed until 2018 and has since worked as a boxing analyst and commentator. He also played Ricky Conlan, the rival boxer, in the films Creed and Creed III.
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