By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (25-0, 12 KO’s) will be defending his title this Saturday night against the dangerous #1 WBO contender Robin Krasniqi (39-2, 15 KO’s) at the Wembley Arena in London, UK. Also on the card is the struggling British heavyweight Dereck Chisora (15-4, 9 KO’s) facing Hector Alfredo Avila (20-12-1, 13 KO’s) in a make or break fight for Chisora, who is quickly heading into journeyman territory with his four losses in his last five fights.
I don’t particularly care too much for the mismatch between Chisora and Avila. Chisora has been given a weak enough opponent to where he shouldn’t lose, but you never can tell with him because he’s looked god awful lately.
The fight on the card that has the most interest in the one between Cleverly and Krasniqi. Cleverly is really up against it in this fight because Krasniqi is faster, stronger and the more talented fighter and he also has excellent punching power. I know you wouldn’t think that looking at Krasniqi’s record but it’s true.
The guy is explosive with the way he punches and he throws with such perfect form that he’s able to get everything he can out of his body. Krasniqi didn’t start out his career with excellent power, but he’s learned how to punch and throw with such great form that he’s a pretty devastating puncher. I used to think he was just a pushover but after seeing a ton of his recent fights, I’m sold on the guy. He’s a major talent and I think Cleverly is really going to be in deep, deep trouble in this fight.
We saw Cleverly get staggered in his last fight against journeyman Shawn Hawk at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Cleverly was so preoccupied with trying to get a knockout that he left himself wide open for a big right hand from Hawk that had Cleverly looking hurt for a brief moment. Luckily for him, Hawk wasn’t able to add to it because he would have finished Cleverly off if he had the kind of punching power and speed that Krasniqi has going for him.
I see Krasniqi pulling off an upset in this fight by giving Cleverly a beating in front of his own British boxing fans at the Wembley Arena.
Also on the card are the following fights:
Yaqub Kareem vs. Paul Butler
Liam Walsh vs. Scott Harrison
Joe Murray vs. Dai Davies
Frank Buglioni vs. Eder Kurti
John Thain vs. TBA
Steve O’Meara vs. TBA
Gary Corcoran vs. TBA
Mitchell Smith vs. Chuck Jones
Joey Taylor vs. TBA
Miles Shinkwin vs. TBA
Matty Fagan vs. TBA
Enzo Maccarinelli vs. Carl Wild
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