Bellew launches tirade at drugs cheats and pledges action with a ‘bat’

Tony Bellew has made it be known that he doesn’t like drugs cheats. The Liverpudlian claims he would ‘even the score’ with a ‘bat’ if he found out that a fighter had ever failed a test for performing enhancing drugs after fighting him.Bellew’s comments come after a torrid month for British boxing and anti-doping. Ahead of the much-anticipated October 8 clash between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr, it was revealed that Benn had failed a sample A VADA drugs test.Benn returned adverse findings for trace amounts of the fertility drug clomifene – which can double as a testosterone booster – placing the fight in jeopardy. Despite the British Boxing Board of Control’s prohibition of the contest, promoters Eddie Hearn and Kalle Sauerland attempted to overturn the result via a meeting attended by lawyers.However, the board doubled down on its stance and the fight was cancelled. Since then, Benn has failed a second drugs test and is now facing the potential of a four-year ban. Tony Bellew says he would ‘even the score’ with a ‘bat’ if one of his opponents ever failed a test (Image: iFL TV)Benn has continued to affirm that he is a ‘clean athlete’ and is focused on ‘clearing his name’. There will now be further investigations into the possibility of the drug entering Benn’s system by the way of contamination.Bellew was expected to be on the commentary team for the Eubank Jr vs Benn card on DAZN but hadn’t commented on the situation publicly until a recent interview with iFL TV. Giving his opinion on the use of PEDs in boxing, he said: ‘I said this before and I’ll say it again – if a fighter failed a test after I just fought him for performance-enhancing drugs, I would go in the room with a f***ing bat and even the score. Make of that what you will.’MORE BOXING NEWS…Paul drops Silva en route to decision victory in bloody warSylve walks out in Minion outfit and KO’s Rodriguez in the first roundFury wishes Paul ‘good luck’ before Silva fight with sarcastic message Conor Benn recently failed a drugs test ahead of his fight with Chris Eubank Jr (Image: GETTY)’I’m also not stupid enough to condemn someone before I hear everything … I’ve heard certain things before, I’ve heard fighters failing drugs tests and I didn’t condemn them.’I remember waiting to find out about Canelo Álvarez before I said what I said about him. I remember [waiting to speak on] Alexander Povetkin before I found out what I found out about him.”I’d wait and see what’s what and find out what the real true facts are before you hear from this board, or that commission – because they’ve all got something to lose, and the credibility with all of them is at stake here.’He continued: ‘I’d love to hope and wish that Conor Benn is innocent, I really do. Because what will be really sad is this kid’s career has been tarnished now permanently for life and we don’t know the exact damages and the things but once again that’s me being is it or isn’t it.’