Tims hoping to set up Irish title fight while former opponent headlines pay-per-view
Ian Tims [12(3)-3(2)] has no problem telling anyone that will listen that he once beat current WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew, and has no problem with the fact he is fighting on a small hall show in Belfast this weekend while ‘The Bomber’ fights David Haye in the headline fight of a massive PPV card.
‘The Tank’ defeated the Liverpool hard man 27:17 in the semi-finals of the old Four Nations tournament in 2006 on a day that also saw John Joe Joyce and Darren Sutherland defeat future world champions in Anthony Crolla and James DeGale.
Bellew has gone on to become British, Commonwealth, European and World Champion, has headline money spinning pay-per-view cards and even became a star of the silver screen by appearing in Creed.
Tims on the other hand has had a stop-start pro innings and, while he has won the Irish title and challenged for the EU strap, he hasn’t quite reached the heights of the fighter he once got the better of back in his vest-wearing days.
However, the Clondalkin cruiserweight pays very little heed to their differing pro careers.
“That’s life isn’t it?” Tims told Irish-Boxing.com. “It is the way the coin lands after it’s been tossed. I don’t envy him and I wish him the best of luck on Saturday.”
The 37 year old former National Elite Heavyweight champion believes Bellew will need the rub of the green when he takes on the Shane McGuigan-trained David Haye atop a card which also features Katie Taylor.
“The Haye fight is madness in fairness. A big punching heavyweight versus a cruiserweight? Although looking at the press conferences I think Bellew has got under his skin. I still don’t think he has a chance to win, but I think he actually might make a good scrap of it.”
“It might be good to watch. If he avoids a big right hand early on I think it will go longer than people think and it will be a better fight than people think,” he adds before reflecting again on his Bellew dust up.
“In fairness Bellew has a wallop himself. I can tell you that, but I dropped him, he didn’t drop me! People also forget I beat another world title challenger in Wayne Elcock.”
Timsey’s main focus however is on getting win number 13 at the Devenish Complex tomorrow night.
The straight-talking cruiser claims he is feeling fresh and fit, and is building toward at least one more big fight.
“We were in talks with [Stephen] Simmons and that would have been a good fight, but he got a British title shot and good luck to him [Simmons has since withdrawn from the title clash with Craig Kennedy].”
“Now we are in talks with Luke Watkins and we could fight him for the Irish title in the Summer. He is a good young fella, but I’ll don’t mind him teaching him a boxing lesson. That fight looks like it might happen around June, so get this one out of the way, I’d like another then in May and then maybe Luke.”
‘Timsey’ fought the majority of his highly entertaining EU title fight with Juho Haapoja blind after a clash of heads in the first round, and the veteran hard man goes into Friday’s clash blind too.
Tims was given a list of opponents to pick from, but told the promoters to pick who suited them as he doesn’t care who he is fighting at this stage.
“I got a list of four and I told them to pick who they wanted. I don’t know who I am fighting. Look, at this stage I should be beating those kind of lads. I feel fit and I know all boxers say it, but I feel the best I have in 10 years.”
“I don’t disrespect opponents, but I am not worried about what’s coming on Friday. I also kind of like the challenge of having to adapt in there, seeing what he has and working him out.”
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
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Also featuring on the first Ginley Promotions card tomorrow are Tyrone McCullagh, Alfredo Meli, Ciaran McVarnock, Stephen Ormond, Sean Turner, and Anto Upton.
Tickets for Dust Up at The Devenish cost £35 (unreserved) and £65 (ringside) and are available from the boxers on the bill or promoter Mark Ginley.
