Buglioni vs Summers: Reece Bellotti talks about love of pizza, a stag do outfit, and sparring Carl Frampton

By Richard Damerell

Image: Reece Bellotti returns to action on this Saturday's Frank Buglioni-Ricky Summers bill at The O2, live on Sky Sports

Reece Bellotti talks about life inside and outside the ring, including his love of pizza, an outrageous stag do outfit, and a sparring 'tear up' with Carl Frampton.

The 26-year-old featherweight will be attempting to extend his unbeaten record against Jamie Speight on the undercard of Frank Buglioni's British title fight with Ricky Summers this Saturday, live on Sky Sports.

But how does Bellotti spend his time away from Jim McDonnell's gym?

How did you get into boxing?

I got into boxing purely for fitness. I wasn't even interested in fighting too much then either. I got dropped from my local football team, because my mates all shot up and I stayed small.

I went to the gym when I was 15. I always used to mess about, so my trainers told me to get outside and skip. Eventually, I started to get into the gym and had my first fight at 17. I loved everything about it.

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What would you be doing if you weren't a boxer?

Image: The 26-year-old fitness fanatic even enjoys running in his spare time

I love my fitness anyway and if I wasn't in boxing I would be doing something like personal training. There is a local 10k run around my way and I always have a go in that. I'm just mad on fitness really.

But are you allowed a cheat meal when you're not training?

Image: But Bellotti is also partial to the occasional extra large pizza

Yes, I love pizza. I'm not fussy about what kind, but it's probably got to be barbecue chicken with a hot dog stuffed crust. You've got to go large and I do my best to eat the whole thing.

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Do you manage to escape the boxing world on holiday?

Just recently I went on my honeymoon to Cancun in Mexico. It was unbelievable.

And where was the stag do?

Image: He wore unsuitable footwear for a trip to the cobbled streets of Tallinn

We went to a random place in eastern Europe - Talinn in Estonia. They dressed me up as a ring card girl on the way to the airport. I was in high heels and I looked like a right idiot.

How regularly do you watch your local team Watford?

Image: Troy Deeney offered a helping hand when the Watford fan needed tickets

Not often enough. I should go a lot more. We always go running on a Saturday, so it's hard for me to get down there. But Troy [Deeney] sorted me out some tickets and I managed to get to a game last season.

Favourite TV programme?

At the minute me and the missus are into Criminal Minds. We watch it every night on Sky Living.

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter for me. I don't go on Facebook enough any more. Twitter and Instagram have taken over. If people message me, I find it quite rude if I don't tweet back. I message them back if I can.

Do you enjoy training alongside James DeGale?

Image: Bellotti trains alongside James DeGale under the watchful eyes of Jim McDonnell

When James is in camp, he's on it massively. He's not interested in anything else, other than what he is paid to do. He's right in the zone.

It's good to train alongside him when he's in that zone, because it almost turns you into the same animal he is.

Who is your dream opponent?

Purely for the money, you would have to go for Floyd Mayweather, but you would also want to know how far you are from that level.

Image: Bellotti would relish a lucrative meeting with Floyd Mayweather

For instance when I sparred Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg, in my mind I'm thinking that I'm going to get smashed up, but when you go in there and hold your own, you think 'I'm not that far away.'

What was it like sparring Frampton and Quigg?

I sparred Quigg first in the build-up for the Frampton-Quigg fight. I went up to Bolton and they've got that industrial heater in the gym. That was an experience in itself, because every time you went that side of the ring, the heat would knock your breath out.

Image: Carl Frampton shared a bruising sparring session with Bellotti

I then sparred Frampton for his second fight against Leo Santa Cruz. We sparred for eight rounds and had a bit of a tear up. It was good and I thought I done okay.

Why should people watch you on July 1?

Image: Bellotti can continue his rise up the featherweight rankings this weekend

I always look for the knockout. I want to please the fans and I want them to enjoy the fight.

Watch Frank Buglioni against Ricky Summers this Saturday night, with Joshua Buatsi, Conor Benn and Lawrence Okolie also in action at The 02, from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 1.

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