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Tony Bellew claimed his future in boxing was “uncertain,” but promoter Eddie Hearn is guaranteeing that we’ll see the WBC cruiserweight champion again in 2017, and a rematch with David Haye is one of the potential fights.
"We're going to fight this year, 100 percent," said Hearn. "Like Tony said, the decision will be made by him and his family and it's my job to present the opportunities to him. I believe the Haye rematch will be one of those opportunities.”
Haye (28-3, 26 KO) is going to spend some time recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, for which he already has had surgery, and may face some punishment from the British Boxing Board of Control for his behavior promoting the fight. Haye is also 36, and turns 37 in October, and just might not be able to get into fight shape by the end of this year.
Bellew (29-2-1, 19 KO) will basically have his pick of the crowd at cruiserweight if he wants to return there, but a Haye rematch could be the biggest money fight for him, too. And he’s already learned he can beat Haye, even counting the injury — he was plenty in the fight before it happened, and didn’t crumble under the bigger Haye’s punching power, as was feared by critics and supporters of the fight alike.
Who would you want to see the “Bomber” in against next?