Tony Bellew admits that the injury he suffered at Soccer Aid was worse than anything he ever had to face in the boxing ring.The former WBC cruiserweight champion has dealt with broken bones, deep lacerations and heavy knockouts during a 34-fight (30-3-1) professional career that saw him lock horns with elite adversaries like Oleksandr Usyk.PABellew hobbled off the pitch in agony after rupturing his Achilles tendon at Soccer Aid[/caption]However, nothing could prepare him for the pain he felt when he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Soccer Aid 2025 charity football match in June.What did Tony Bellew say about his injury?“The amount of pain a fully ruptured Achilles gives, I’m told it is one of the worst pains going, and I walked off that pitch,” Bellew told talkSPORT Drive on Wednesday afternoon.“I should have been stretchered off the pitch like Usain Bolt did the year before.“I walked off that pitch, and I was in extraordinary amounts of pain.“I’m alright, but it has been really tough. In 25 years of fighting, this is the hardest thing I have ever had to get through.“I’ve had around 90 fights in my life (amateur and professional), and the worst injury I have ever had is this snapped Achilles.“And it happened at Soccer Aid, so I basically donated my Achilles tendon.”Ironically, Bellew’s injury was identical to the one David Haye sustained during their inaugural encounter in 2017.Haye snapped his Achilles tendon in the sixth round, but the brave Brit battled through until the eleventh stanza when he was eventually stopped.Bellew’s recent experience has given him a newfound respect for his former rival, whom he describes as a ‘maniac’.GettyHaye suffered the same injury when he fought Bellew in 2017[/caption]Bellew emerged victorious in both of his dust-ups with HayeCommenting on the two-weight world champion, Bellew remarked: “He’s one of the bravest men I have ever known.“He carried on. He is a maniac.“I’m alright at punching people in the face, I’m even better at punching people in the face when they have got one leg.“He took it for five rounds. You have to be so brave.”Bellew underwent successful reconstructive surgery on his Achilles shortly after the incident and spent several weeks in a boot.He is now back walking unassisted following the completion of his rehabilitation programme.