By Scott Gilfoid: Vince Cleverly, the trainer and father of WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (23-0, 11 KO’s), refuses to give up on the idea of matching Nathan against aging 46-year-old WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s) in 2012.

Vince told the Dailymail.co.uk “Hopkins is coming around to the idea. It would sell out the Millennium Stadium. This year was brilliant and all went to plan. Let’s hope 2012 can be even better and barring injuries, Nathan will unify the division.”

This is just too funny to believe. Someone needs to sit Vince down and let him know that Hopkins is facing a rematch against two-time former WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson or else Hopkins will be stripped of his title by the World Boxing Council. Hopkins can’t take another fight right now because he’s been ordered to make the Dawson fight.

It’s still unknown if Hopkins will take the fight because he looked old, slow and small against Dawson last October and fell to the canvas at first contact in the 2nd round. I think Vince needs to be talking with Dawson instead of Hopkins, because he’s the guy that is likely going to have possession of the WBC belt before 2012 is over with.

But no way on earth is Dawson stupid enough to go to Wales and risk winding up on the receiving end of a hometown decision, so I think Vince would be better off not letting his mind wonder about things that are just not going to realistically happen.

What Vince should be doing is trying to set Cleverly up against Enzo Maccarinelli instead of an old Hopkins, who no longer looks to be the same fighter he was six months ago.

I don’t think Vince will want to let Cleverly get anywhere near Dawson if he beats Hopkins. I think we would have the same situation as with Vince not being ready to match Nathan up with Maccarinelli.

I just hope he doesn’t come with the same excuses about Dawson having to earn a shot against Cleverly. That would be hilarious, but I wouldn’t be surprised to be honest. When you see lame excuses like that being used by an inexperienced Nathan against the much more experienced Maccarinelli, you know someone is out of touch.

My prediction is Cleverly won’t get the Hopkins fight in 2012, and he won’t show any interest in fighting Dawson after he whips Hopkins in the rematch. Cleverly won’t fight Maccarinelli and continue with the same excuses about him having to earn a shot no matter who he beats.

Look for Cleverly to continue facing little known opposition through 2012. This will enable Cleverly to hold onto his WBO title much longer than he would if he fought someone that was actually any good.