BoxRec

My article on Nathan Cleverly heading to Cruiserweight...

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/1816 ... iserweight

“I said for a long time if I ever lost I would contemplate on hanging up the gloves because I've never been the type of fighter to be in love with boxing,” he said. “I do it because I've got a talent at it and I work hard and I kept winning. I was living the dream as a world champion.

“But in terms of loving boxing, I can never say I really loved the sport. I always said I’ll do it while I'm winning. It's a way of earning a living. If I was going to get beat I’d consider leaving the sport.”

Cleverly should keep that sort of talk to himself, it makes me want him to lose.

That's odd, on Saturday Bunce specifically said he's asked Cleverly about the cruiserweight thing and he said it was a misunderstanding and he was staying at LHW. Maybe he has decided himself yet.

What the fornicate is he thinking? The little power he has at LHW is going to diminish even further at CW, he's going to be giving up his size advantages, and if he thinks Kovalev hits hard he's going to be shocked to find out what kind of power men 25 pounds heavier can muster. Terrible, terrible idea.

J-C wrote:That's odd, on Saturday Bunce specifically said he's asked Cleverly about the cruiserweight thing and he said it was a misunderstanding and he was staying at LHW. Maybe he has decided himself yet.

No he didn't. He said he was considering campaigning at cruiser weight and would be confirming / releasing his decision later this week.

Horse wrote:

“I said for a long time if I ever lost I would contemplate on hanging up the gloves because I've never been the type of fighter to be in love with boxing,” he said. “I do it because I've got a talent at it and I work hard and I kept winning. I was living the dream as a world champion.

“But in terms of loving boxing, I can never say I really loved the sport. I always said I’ll do it while I'm winning. It's a way of earning a living. If I was going to get beat I’d consider leaving the sport.”

Cleverly should keep that sort of talk to himself, it makes me want him to lose.

He moves up to CW he will be retireing shortly anyway,

He appeared to lack strength and power at light heavy, so god help him really!

dookus wrote:What the eff is he thinking? The little power he has at LHW is going to diminish even further at CW, he's going to be giving up his size advantages, and if he thinks Kovalev hits hard he's going to be shocked to find out what kind of power men 25 pounds heavier can muster. Terrible, terrible idea.

maybe he'll have a speed advantage. cruiserweights nowadays use the full 20-pounds and there is a noticeable decrease in the speed of top level fighters.

that said, there are some hard bastards at this weight & you'd think cleverly'd be made to pay for that lean forward, left hand low style - again!

cleverly has no place at 175, he'll never be in the mix again so I think he has to have a change. if he can adapt, be positive (as opposed to delusional) and if he feels healthier, good look to him finding the right fight at 200-pounds.

It reads like Clev is pinning his loss on his weight and not the fact he was unfortunately second best on the night.

Kovalev threw him around the ring and stopped him easily, and he can't get his head around it, as he believed he was strong enough to hang with anyone his own size.

Hence him deciding on cruiser.

I'm not sure what would concern me most, the fact he's going to cruiser, or the fact he's saying he's only fighting now for the money ?

I don't think he could sustain another defeat mentally by the sounds of it.

I wish him well in his new venture, but still I'm of the opinion he could still be a decent force at euro / fringe world class at 175lb and as a former title holder, would have more leverage there, than at cruiser which is pretty shallow.

I could never see him going to Paris and knocking out Jean Marc Mormeck, or beating up Steve Cunningham or Marco Huck. Denis Lebedev, Joan Pablo Hernadez - I just can't see Clev hanging with those guys at all.

If hes only in it for the money now then surely the best next step would be for him to stay at LH and fight Enzo in wales ....

damianhucker1 wrote:If hes only in it for the money now then surely the best next step would be for him to stay at LH and fight Enzo in wales ....

yeah, can't see any other logical choice for him at all really. At least there will be some Welsh interest in this fight. It would be interesting to watch, I can't pick a winner. Cleverly flaps his way to a decision I guess.

This has just been confirmed on twitter by FWP. Fight at the copperbox on november 30th

Bennyblanco wrote:This has just been confirmed on twitter by FWP. Fight at the copperbox on november 30th

He's going straight in against Daniel Ammann for the Commonwealth.

Who enjoys being punched in the face for a living ? He's not the first boxer to say he's boxing for the money.

Black Sam Bellamy wrote:Who enjoys being punched in the face for a living ?

Curtis Woodhouse.

Black Sam Bellamy wrote:He's not the first boxer to say he's boxing for the money.

Most don't say they have no love for the sport though.

is he still with his old training team or has he got anyone else involved. And tbh without Dean Powell (rip) is his corner i fear for his safety at CW, his father clearly showed his incompetence in the kovalev fight telling cleverly his " lateral movement is working well" when he was as mobile as a multi storey carpark

The Insider wrote: He's going straight in against Daniel Ammann for the Commonwealth.

He lost to Brad Pitt

G0mez wrote:

The Insider wrote: He's going straight in against Daniel Ammann for the Commonwealth.

He lost to Brad Pitt

you can see him picking up the title and defending it against the likes of McPhilbin

Haha Brad Pitt... unbeaten too!

G0mez wrote:

The Insider wrote: He's going straight in against Daniel Ammann for the Commonwealth.

He lost to Brad Pitt

not the same bradd pitt that was in snatch he was a big hitter

It must be the challenge he loves then??

Or maybe it's purely ego?

Cruiserweight is all wrong for Cleverly. I've met him in person and he didn't look massive to me for a light heavy, so I'm not sure how he'll do at Cruiser.

If he never loved boxing and doesn't really enjoy it, I doubt a move to cruiser will light his fire. May have been better off retiring.

He's got a degree in Maths from a decent university, I'm sure he could end up in a good job within a few years and be earning decent money.

He is a big lad just got legs like a sparrow!

Knowbody knows there body better then themselfs.
Clevs attitude towards the sport is abit off & it's easy to lump up jump in with slower guys but they will be a lot stronger & he don't have the skillset to dispose of there strengths. Look at Hopkins the man don't diet for a fight he regimently eats clean,absolute massive middle he was! You have to look at why people are successful.
Clev has plenty of fights to ease him in the division.you got your conquests & mcphilbins of this world who will provide him with a tough night I don't think he will fly through domestic level like he did at l.heavy & to think of him against the current world class crop he gets eaten up

He needs to change his style needs to box for 12 rounds.

dbf wrote: He's got a degree in Maths from a decent university, I'm sure he could end up in a good job within a few years and be earning decent money.

Even though he is still relatively young, I guess that Clev has never had a "proper job" and would struggle to settle for a 9 - 5 after spending his life training and boxing on TV etc.

If he is good at something and can earn money from it, then he might as well do that whilst he can before looking for something else.

I think Clev has looked at the quality of world champs at Cruiser and convinced himself its a weak division.
Most LH go there after they stop being able to make Super middle. Most Cruisers are a little too light for HW so boil down a bit to 14 stone.
He'll get to Commonwealth but I do agree with others who think he's gonna get a shock at the power difference of top Cruisers compared to light heavy.