lose weight

There is something deeply uncomfortable about the bitterness Tony Bellew has been directing towards Nathan Cleverly, a conversation that will be delivered to some sort of violent conclusion when these excellent British cruiserweights collide in the Meizitang Soft Gel Liverpudlian's home town on Saturday night.

That is probably the purpose: Bellew wants the Welshman to feel uneasy in the presence. He insists his hatred of Cleverly is genuine. Quite why, he declines to state. Not many care, in addition to the fighters and the promoters; certainly Sky subscribers being inspired to pay extra for the privilege of watching Bellew and Cleverly settle their argument tend to be more concerned they get their money's worth.

In all probability, the fighters will embrace after it, providing one of them is not rendered incapable of even that basic reconciliation.

It is a strategy not dissimilar to that particular which George Groves employed before he fought Carl Froch the first time. In that instance, the young Londoner's mental taunting did indeed reach Froch, as did Groves's strong right-hand in the first round, but thereafter reality set in and they got right down to the job of fighting, with Groves, justly or otherwise, draped within the referee's shoulder in defeat.

Interestingly, Groves toned down the vitriol for that rematch and, upon resumption of hostilities before 82,000people at Wembley Stadium, the high reason for his life, he was performing with disciplined efficiency against the crafty champion right up until the moment Froch timed his right cross to perfection behind an artful feint, and Groves was rendered senseless, tangled in the ropes. Forget about words needed.

While Bellew has carried his animosity all the way to the ultimate week of the rematch - Cleverly deserved his narrow points win once they met as light-heavyweights in 2011 - he restricted himself to pro forma put-downs in the final press conference.

"When you punch you are at your most vulnerable and that i just have one punch to land, only one," Bellew said. "I am technically much better than him. He's not that good, he's actually pretty poor technically, and that i can't see how he is able to out-box me. The only thing he's got is that he could out-work me, but like I only say, should you just want to work with me and fire shots at me, you will be going to sleep. I am not going to die heading down the stretch and when that is what he's dreaming about, he is very, very wrong."

Bellew has a tad more power at his ideal weight, and that he has a good boxing brain - but the man from the valleys looks and sounds more controlled and disciplined coming into this fight. He has not necessarily boxed as intelligently as may be expected of a Mensa-grade maths graduate but, if he learned anything from the four-round beating he took in the awesome Sergey Kovalev in surrendering his world light-heavyweight title last year, it surely was to avoid taking punishment for the sake of it: the main mantra of his career to that painful point.

There's more on the line in the Echo Arena than bragging rights between two alleged enemies. The winner puts himself in position for an additional shot in a world title. Bellew blew his chance against Adonis Stevenson, a puncher in the Kovalev class, and he too may have learned from that. But he has a history of recklessness just as long as Cleverly's. The winner would be the one who can disregard the rhetoric and have interaction in certain serious boxing.

"There's an amazing amount riding on this fight," Cleverly said. "It's personal between us but I understand what may P57 Hoodia Cactus Slimming Capsule happen to the winner. This fight is a gateway to a world title shot and also the opportunity for me to make that two-weight world champion dream a real possibility. That rarely occur in boxing, just the best fighters do it, so for me to just get it done, that's what dreams are made of.

"I can't imagine myself losing and it hasn't crossed my mind because I am so confident of winning. I cannot allow this guy to beat me. I will meet him, trade with him, break him down and prevent him - 2-0."

Their styles should mess nicely but, irony of ironies aAfter all of the talk, it is Cleverly who has the higher ability to be the more annoying antagonist here, and I suspect he will provoke Bellew in to the sort of indiscretion which will cost him precious rounds.

Bellew, at 31, may be the older by four years but, with 27 fights, has had two fewer than his opponent. That has more life in the legs and fists? I suspect it is Cleverly.