JOE Calzaghe is backing his friend Nathan Cleverly to beat hated rival Tony Bellew at the weekend and believes Bellew has wasted too much time talking.

The bitter rivals face-off at the Liverpool Echo Arena in a rematch from their 2011 WBO world title clash which Cleverly won on points.

That kick-started a hatred between the pair and Calzaghe, arguably Britain’s greatest ever boxer, believes Bellew’s damaged his own cause by talking too much.

“He’s always talking, he talks about how much he hates Nathan, how Nathan is this and that and quite often, how Nathan doesn’t compare to me,” Calzaghe told the Argus in an exclusive interview.

“Now let’s be fair here, find one interview or anything where Nathan compares himself to me, he’s never done it once, that’s all in Tony’s head or he’s just doing it to wind-up Nathan.

“He says Nathan can’t sell tickets like I used to, but I only started selling out my venues after the Jeff Lacy fight, really.

“I had plenty of nights at the Cardiff Ice Rink where I’d look about and think ‘where is everyone?’ and I’d been a world champion for five or six years!

“So that’s another silly comparison really, but like I say, it isn’t Nathan who makes them.

“Nathan is a pal of mine and I will be in Liverpool to support him, but the fact is, I boxed at a level that Nathan hasn’t reached yet and to be fair, neither has Tony Bellew.

“Comparisons between us are just stupid and as I explained earlier in the week, Nathan is cool and calm and Bellew is consumed by this hatred. Maybe he needs that, I don’t know the guy, but it wouldn’t suit me one bit. I fought 46 times and never once did I hate anyone I fought. Hate is a strong word. It’s sport at the end of the day.”

Cleverly admits he does have one big concern, which is that Bellew is arguably the bigger puncher.

“Tony has the power, you’d probably say that, but I think Nathan is the better boxer,” he said.

“But the issue is the power is definitely going to be a factor, Nathan’s superior skills and speed and better footwork and better conditioning; that will only come into play if Nathan fights the right kind of fight.

“Nathan has to fight intelligently and use his assets and he should be confident to do that, because he’s already beaten the guy once before. There is pressure on both fighters, it’s a huge night for them, but Tony has put more pressure on himself than Nathan has by all the things he’s said.

Calzaghe believes Cleverly has a definite mental advantage.

“For all the things he’s saying, Tony Bellew doesn’t know for a fact he can beat Nathan Cleverly because he never has before, that’s a barrier,” he said.

“I am sure Nathan dislikes the guy but for him its business and he has a psychological edge because has beaten Bellew before and knows how to get the job done.

“I have seen Nathan train and he looks in tremendous condition. He is 100% confident and why shouldn’t he be as he knows he can win the fight, he’s done it before.”

And Calzaghe believes one more factor is being overlooked in terms of the big rematch.

“Tony was a lot less experienced in 2011, (he refers to himself then as a 16-fight novice) but he’s not alone in that,” Calzaghe said.

“If you remember, at the time, Nathan wasn’t even a full-time boxer.

“He was still a student and now he’s a full time professional boxer and there is a world of difference.

“Bellew might have come on a lot in the past three years, but so has Nathan.”