QUOTE
It would make Cleverly a major name in British boxing, and allow him to follow in the footsteps of his idol Joe Calzaghe, who defeated Hopkins on a memorable night in Las Vegas in 2008. But first Cleverly must defeat the obdurate, tenacious Bellew, on his home patch.
The Cleverly-Bellew world title match was announced in London yesterday, though the Liverpudlian arrived over two hours late for the news conference after train delays.
Come fight night, the contest could resemble a train crash given the enmity between the pair. Bellew, five years the senior with a longer distinguished amateur pedigree has stalked ringside at Cleverly’s contests insisting he could not wait to knock out his rival.
In the meantime, ‘Clever Boy’ Cleverly has finished a degree in Applied Mathematics at Cardiff University and won the British, Commonwealth and European 175lbs titles in record time.
Jealousy, rivalry, whatever it is, or wherever it has come from, the fight is on. Big time. Cleverly accepted going into Bellew’s home patch with alacrity.
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“It wasn’t really a tough decision. It was my choice where I wanted to fight – Wales or in Liverpool, and we were struggling to find the right venue in Wales. At the end of the day the Liverpool venue [The Echo Arena with a 10,000 spectator capacity] is almost guaranteed to sell out, and it’s in a boxing ring where the action will take place.
"Wherever we fight it is still Tony Bellew, and I’m still a world champion. I will definitely beat this guy and it is a grudge match which has developed over the years. I turned pro and won the belts, he stayed amateur and is about six fights behind me. Does he deserve a world title shot? Probably ‘no’, but it’s a fight I want to get out of the way.”
Regardless of 23-year-old Cleverly’s self-belief, Bellew brings with him his own deep faith in his own fighting nous and this contest will be a war from the build-up to the last bell.
Both men enjoy a tear-up. Both are unbeaten. Bellew insists he will come to fight.
Cleverly says he will not back down. On the same night, Oct 15, Bernard Hopkins, the oldest world boxing champion in history, now aged 47, will defend his WBC light-heavyweight world title against former champion Chad Dawson, in the United States.
Frank Warren, promoter of both Bellew and Cleverly, explained: “I have spoken with Richard Schaefer [Hopkins’s promoter, and the CEO of Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions] and if Bernard Hopkins comes through this, he could fight the winner of Cleverly-Bellew.
"This is a very lively division in the world at the moment. If Nathan Cleverly wins, the fight [with Hopkins] will be at the Millennium Stadium, most likely early next year. Hopkins is the fighter who has impressed me more than any other fighter in the world in the last couple of years.”
Cleverly insisted he is not looking past the challenge Bellew sets him, but is ultra-motivated at the prospect of facing Hopkins, too.
“I definitely want the Hopkins fight. I’m 24 now, and I believe still four years away from my peak. Bernard Hopkins is special. I’ve always watched him, he is a major American boxer, he oozes class, and I’m now in the position of being one fight away from beating a legend.
"I watched him for a week at close quarters when Joe Calzaghe, who was once my mentor, fought him in Las Vegas, and I think he would struggle against my style.
“I never thought at the time that I would get to fight him – I thought he’d be retired by the time I was a world champion. He seems to be getting better and better and is a genius at what he does.
“But I’ve got to beat Tony Bellew first. I won’t be taking a backward step in that fight. I know I take risks, but fans like boxers who come to fight, and who are exciting.”
The Cleverly-Bellew world title match was announced in London yesterday, though the Liverpudlian arrived over two hours late for the news conference after train delays.
Come fight night, the contest could resemble a train crash given the enmity between the pair. Bellew, five years the senior with a longer distinguished amateur pedigree has stalked ringside at Cleverly’s contests insisting he could not wait to knock out his rival.
In the meantime, ‘Clever Boy’ Cleverly has finished a degree in Applied Mathematics at Cardiff University and won the British, Commonwealth and European 175lbs titles in record time.
Jealousy, rivalry, whatever it is, or wherever it has come from, the fight is on. Big time. Cleverly accepted going into Bellew’s home patch with alacrity.
Related Articles
“It wasn’t really a tough decision. It was my choice where I wanted to fight – Wales or in Liverpool, and we were struggling to find the right venue in Wales. At the end of the day the Liverpool venue [The Echo Arena with a 10,000 spectator capacity] is almost guaranteed to sell out, and it’s in a boxing ring where the action will take place.
"Wherever we fight it is still Tony Bellew, and I’m still a world champion. I will definitely beat this guy and it is a grudge match which has developed over the years. I turned pro and won the belts, he stayed amateur and is about six fights behind me. Does he deserve a world title shot? Probably ‘no’, but it’s a fight I want to get out of the way.”
Regardless of 23-year-old Cleverly’s self-belief, Bellew brings with him his own deep faith in his own fighting nous and this contest will be a war from the build-up to the last bell.
Both men enjoy a tear-up. Both are unbeaten. Bellew insists he will come to fight.
Cleverly says he will not back down. On the same night, Oct 15, Bernard Hopkins, the oldest world boxing champion in history, now aged 47, will defend his WBC light-heavyweight world title against former champion Chad Dawson, in the United States.
Frank Warren, promoter of both Bellew and Cleverly, explained: “I have spoken with Richard Schaefer [Hopkins’s promoter, and the CEO of Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions] and if Bernard Hopkins comes through this, he could fight the winner of Cleverly-Bellew.
"This is a very lively division in the world at the moment. If Nathan Cleverly wins, the fight [with Hopkins] will be at the Millennium Stadium, most likely early next year. Hopkins is the fighter who has impressed me more than any other fighter in the world in the last couple of years.”
Cleverly insisted he is not looking past the challenge Bellew sets him, but is ultra-motivated at the prospect of facing Hopkins, too.
“I definitely want the Hopkins fight. I’m 24 now, and I believe still four years away from my peak. Bernard Hopkins is special. I’ve always watched him, he is a major American boxer, he oozes class, and I’m now in the position of being one fight away from beating a legend.
"I watched him for a week at close quarters when Joe Calzaghe, who was once my mentor, fought him in Las Vegas, and I think he would struggle against my style.
“I never thought at the time that I would get to fight him – I thought he’d be retired by the time I was a world champion. He seems to be getting better and better and is a genius at what he does.
“But I’ve got to beat Tony Bellew first. I won’t be taking a backward step in that fight. I know I take risks, but fans like boxers who come to fight, and who are exciting.”
Sad, but true...