By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn is talking about wanting to match his fighter WBA World light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (30-3, 16 KOs) against former WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack (20-1-3, 12 KOs). Hearn was talking on Twitter in response to Jack showing interest in taking the fight with the 30-year-old Cleverly.
It still remains to be seen if Hearn actually makes the fight. Cleverly was supposed to be giving Juergen Braehmer a rematch after beating him on an injury 6th round stoppage last October in Germany. Cleverly was losing the fight when Braehmer opted to quit on his stool following the 6th round.
Braehmer suffered an elbow injury and chose not to continue. At the time that Braehmer quit, he was ahead on the judges’ scorecards by the scores 58-56, 58-56 and 58-56. Boxing News 24 had Braehmer up by the identical 58-56 score. He was landing the cleaner shots throughout the fight. However, Cleverly was definitely outworking the 38-year-old Braehmer. The fight was kind of a similar type of situation with the Tony Bellew vs. David Haye fight. Bellew was getting beaten until Haye suffered an injury.
”We have Badou Jack and Nathan Cleverly is ready!” said Hearn on his Twitter.
Badou, 33, is a bad match-up for Cleverly. I don’t know if Hearn should be thinking of making a fight like that, because Cleverly doesn’t have enough punching power to beat a talent like Badou. He’s got really heavy hands. We saw what Badou did to IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale in their fight last January.
The fight was scored a 12 round draw by the judges that worked the bout, but the boxing public pretty much saw Badou winning the fight across the board. He knocked one of DeGale’s teeth out, and dropped him in the 12th round. I had Badou winning by a comfortable 12 round decision. It was so obvious who the better fighter was of the two. I don’t know how the three judges could mess up the scoring. Jack and his promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. were very upset about not getting the victory. That’s not the reason why Jack moved up to light heavyweight. He moved up because he can’t make weight for the 168lb division without really draining himself.
”Nathan Clevery, tell your promoter to contact Leonard Ellerbe and Floyd Mayweather and let’s get it on. I would love to take that WBA Boxing from you,” said Badou.
Cleverly is interested in facing Badou. I guess it’s a fight that would attract interest from the British boxing public due to Badou having recently fought DeGale in a 12 round war. Look at it this way. If Cleverly doesn’t fight Jack, it would mean that he would likely need to fight either #1 WBA Dmitry Bivol or Braehmer. I can’t see Cleverly winning either of those fights. The money won’ be that good either. Cleverly might as well get the best payday he can by fighting Badou.
“We are on it. Be ready!👊💥@EddieHearn @MatchroomBoxing @WBA Boxing,” said Cleverly.
“Nathan Clevery, let’s make it happen 💪🏾” said Badou.
“Very soon – Nathan Clevery wants Badou Jack 👊🏼” said Hearn.
I can’t believe that Hearn wants to make this fight. He’s got to believe Cleverly can beat Badou. It’s not Hearn’s style to put together fights that his fighters have a great chance of winning. Hearn needs to talk some sense to Cleverly to let him know that he doesn’t have the talent to beat Jack. I get the feeling that Cleverly’s win over the injured Brahemer planted some ideas into his head, making him think he’s better than he really is. If Cleverly fights Jack, he’ll bring him back down to earth, believe me.