Zak Chelli says he wants to stop Commonwealth and British super-middleweight champion Jack Cullen to achieve “double revenge” when they fight in Liverpool on Saturday.
Live on Sky Sports on the undercard of Natasha Jonas’ world title clash with Mikaela Mayer, the pair are meeting for the second time after a 2020 contest ended in a draw, with Chelli feeling he was unfairly denied victory on that occasion.
Chelli is taking additional motivation from the fact Cullen’s trainer Michael Jennings was in the opposite corner when he suffered a surprise defeat to Mark Jeffers last year.
“I believe I won, I believe most people thought I won,” Chelli told Sky Sports. “I even remember Eddie Hearn messaging me, telling me I won, and wanting a rematch.
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Zak Chelli beats Anthony Sims by unanimous decision to clinch the WBA Continental super middleweight title
“But our paths just went separate ways and it just never happened.
“Now our paths have collided again, and for a British and Commonwealth title. It’s great, I’m over the moon.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what he has. He’s got the same trainer as Jeffers, so it’d be great, double revenge if I beat him.”
‘I’ve got to stop Cullen to show my level’
Both Chelli and Cullen have been fearless in their choice of opponents throughout their professional careers, which has resulted in each suffering defeats that more carefully guided fighters might have avoided.
Cullen was defeated by Kevin Lele Sadjo in a European title fight in 2021 and was knocked out once more by unbeaten American Diego Pacheco last year, before upsetting Mark Heffron to become Commonwealth and British champion.
“I saw his last few fights,” Chelli said. “He’s been stopped twice, but they were high-level opponents.
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Jack Cullen sends Mark Heffron to the canvas with a brutal left hook in the third round to become the new British super-middleweight champion
“One was for the European Zak Chelli targets knockout win over Jack Cullen for ‘double revenge’ in super-middleweight title fight | Boxing News, and once was this really good American, but he’s been stopped.
“So I believe if I want to prove that I’m at that level, I’ve got to stop him as well. Obviously, I’m not going to look for a stoppage, God willing it will come, but I’m looking for the victory.
“Winning would show I’m that level, I’m above British level. I believe Cullen is around British level or maybe even a bit better, but it would prove I’m that level and ready to take the big fights.”
Chelli is clearly delighted to get the opportunity to challenge for a prestigious pair of titles just a year after his defeat to Jeffers, and admits he may be benefitting from Cullen’s desire to settle the score from their previous bout.
“I believe he wants to prove to his fans that he did win,” he said. “Because a lot of people would probably tell him that he lost.
“I hope he comes hungry because I’m going to be starving.”
‘I want Jeffers rematch next’
Chelli had delivered a series of impressive victories before his progress was halted by last January’s points defeat to Jeffers in Manchester.
The 26-year-old says the defeat has made him more aware of the importance of the mental side of the sport, and believes that lesson, along with new management can help ensure a repeat is avoided.
“On the night, I started off slow, I wasn’t really myself and a lot of people could see that, and then I woke up throughout the fight,” Chelli said.
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Zak Chelli dropped Jack Kilgannon in the sixth round with this huge statement knockout!
“It made me realise that boxing really is a mental game, I would say it’s like 90 per cent mental and you’ve got to be in the right mindset at the right time. And I saw Jeffers, he had the right mindset.
“People still would say to me it’s a close fight that could have gone either way, but no excuses.”
In the event he is victorious on Saturday, along with Jeffers who takes on Germaine Brown, Chelli would like his next fight to be a rematch against the Chorley-based fighter.
He added: “My plan is to beat Cullen, and once I have those belts, I’ll be like, ‘hey, Jeffers, come take this.’ And hopefully we’ll get a rematch.
“But I’m not looking past Cullen. Cullen’s the guy I want now, Cullen’s the ones with the titles.”
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