Rotunda ABC coach Mick McAllister, who was instrumental in guiding Bellew's amateur career, will be chief second in Bethnal Green when 'The Bomber' will face Ovill McKenzie in an immediate rematch of their December slug-fest.
Bellew admits it was a tough decision leaving Manchester coach Anthony Farnell, especially as the pair had grown close over the Wavertree puncher's four-year pro career. But the travelling and time away from his young family was effecting his performances.
After clocking up nine stoppages in 13 rather one-sided victories, Bellew has had to pick himself up off the canvas three times in his last two fights - painfully illustrating that something wasn't right in the camp.
However, the champion insists the move back to his roots is more geographical than technical.
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| Bellew celebrates his latest defence with John Conteh at the Echo Arena in December |
Bellew told Mersey Gloves: "I am grateful for the time and effort that Anthony Farnell has put in with me but I just feel the travelling was becoming a bit much and that I was not seeing enough of my two young boys. My family are my world and will always come first in every decision I will make."
Bellew won three senior ABA heavyweight titles in a Rotunda club vest and, like so many other Merseyside fighters, holds veteran amateur coach McAllister in very high regard.
The race is on now to get him licenced by the British Boxing Board of Control in time for the London title defence next month.
The days of keeping amateur and professional boxing coaches completely separate are now, thankfully, a thing of the past. GB head coach Robert McCracken also works the corner of WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch, while closer to home the likes of Tony Quigley Snr, Peter McCormack and Franny Smith still work with amateur clubs.
With a wealth of knowledge in Merseyside's amateur coaching set-up something tells us that this won't be the last professional star to go back to his roots in the coming months.
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