Tony Bellew and WBC champion Adonis Stevenson had to be separated during a heated weigh-in for their world light heavyweight title clash in Quebec on Saturday night.
The two fighters had to be dragged apart with both camps and security struggling to take control of the situation. Stevenson appeared to thrust his head into Bellew’s face after the Liverpudlian had mentioned the Canadian’s criminal past before the pair got onto the scales.
Speaking about the incident, Bellew told the Liverpool Echo: “He got into my face so I butted him. He tried to put his face into me so I slammed my head into his nose.”
The 30-year-old was on the limit for the light heavyweight division, coming in at 12st 7lbs, while Stevenson weighed 174.4lbs.
Bellew, who has only tasted defeat on one occasion, when he lost to Nathan Cleverly on points, will have a height and reach advantage over his southpaw opponent.
Stevenson has also lost once in his career but his defeat was to journeyman Darnell Boone, something Bellew was quick to pick up on in the pre-fight press conference.
Bellew has admitted he will have to be cautious of avoiding Stevenson’s power, after the 36-year-old showed his finishing skills when he stopped Chad Dawson inside one round to win the title in June.
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