Jermaine Franklin’s strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo Reynolds wants to box Tony Bellew in an exhibition bout after their ringside altercation in the aftermath of his fighter’s 12-rounder with Anthony Joshua. After the final bell had rung both boxers engaged in a bizarre shoving match in the centre of the ring before being broken up by security and their respective corners.
Reynolds pushed Joshua off of Franklin which Bellew, who was working for DAZN on the night, took exception to. The former cruiserweight world champion began shouting at the cornerman as the pair almost came to blows near the commentary booths. Now, Reynolds, a two-time national golden gloves champion and former undefeated professional boxer (15-0) has extended a direct challenge to Bellew.
Speaking exclusively to Express Sport, Reynolds affirmed that he wants half of the proceeds to go to kids fighting cancer, like young James Lewis who walked out with Franklin on the night: “I read an article with him [Bellew] saying he would’ve chinned me, and I just think it would be the opposite honestly. I’m in great shape. I’m in the shape of my life and he’s pretty much looking like, a 55-year-old soccer dad with a suit on. So, if Bellew has a problem we can do an exhibition and donate 50 per cent of the purse to kids who are fighting cancer, like James.”
He added: “I really love and appreciate how Jermaine embraced James and James walked out with Jermaine and was in the locker room before and after the fight. I’d want to do my part as well and fight for a good cause.”
Shortly after the incident, Bellew insisted that he ‘didn’t want any trouble’ but Reynolds believes the Brit had a problem from the off and recounts an awkward interaction following the weigh-in.
He added: “There seemed like there was an issue on his end [Bellew’s] before the fight. I saw him at the weigh-in. And so, after the weigh-in, Jermaine and the team, we walked around the mall for a little while and we crossed paths with Bellew, and the guy who was walking with Bellew, he shook Jermaine’s hand. And Bellew, he rolled his eyes and turned his body and walked the other way.
“So, I don’t know if he just, you know, feels like since he’s in close proximity with Joshua, that he just had to kind of have a jerkish type behaviour. But that’s what I got from him. So, at the fight it was like, ‘Wow. Okay. So there was already something there then.’”
In a final message to his rival, Reynolds continued: “If Tony Belly, and make sure you say, I call him Tony Belly. If he knows where the gym is at, and he’s willing to sign for this exhibition then let’s do it. And like I said, 50 per cent of the money can go to cancer. We would love to take that, and we can handle our differences in the ring and then after the exhibition, we can drink some tea.
“But, definitely we have a disagreement and like, gentlemen, let’s handle it the right way in the boxing ring. We can do it that way because evidently, there’s some smoke that needs to be cleared.”