SERGEY KOVALEV

(Photo credit: Main Events) By Scott Gilfoid: Frank Warren, the promoter for former WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-1, 12 KO’s), hasn’t decided if they’ll look for a rematch with Russian KO artist Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KO’s) after Cleverly was blown apart in 4 rounds last Saturday night in front of his own loyal Welsh fans at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.

There wasn’t a rematch clause in the contract, so Kovalev can move on if he chooses, but you’ve to figure that Cleverly can a rematch if Warren makes the decision to get Kovalev back to the UK.

It would be a team thing where Cleverly and Warren would both agree that the Kovalev rematch was the right thing to do.

Warren said to the Daily Mail “We’ll see what happens with regards to any rematch.

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By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KO’s) says he’s had tougher fights in his career than the easy 4 round annihilation of former WBO 175 lb. champion Nathan Cleverly (26-1, 12 KO’s) last Saturday night at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.

Kovalev, 30, was expecting Cleverly to give him some trouble, but instead he turned out to be little more than a soft punching bag for him to land his big shots on for the short four round fight.

The only trouble Kovalev had was when he suffered a cut over his right eye from a head clash in the 2nd round. The cut didn’t slow Kovalev down a bit, though, and if anything, it made him really go after Cleverly with a vengeance.

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By Scott Gilfoid: If you saw WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-1, 12 KO’s) get stopped tonight by Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KO’s) in the 4th round, you might be wondering why the referee Terry O’Connor didn’t officially stop the fight in the 3rd round after Cleverly had been knocked down twice.

Shortly after the second knockdown, it looked like O’Conner was in the act of stopping the fight, but then he let it go on. It seemed like an odd move, because it looked clearly like the referee was waiving off the fight, but then bell rung a second later, and the referee let the fight continue. It was very strange.

Thankfully, the referee not stopping the fight in the 3rd didn’t have any change in the outcome of the fight other than causing Cleverly to take a little more punishment in getting stopped a round later. But it was still unsettling to have the fight continued when the referee seemed to be stopping it. I guess referees can change their minds.

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By Nick Hagan: Nathan Cleverly 26-0 has the opportunity tonight to showcase his superb boxing skills, against a world class opponent in Sergey Kovalev 21-0-1

Many people including myself have been very impressed with Cleverly’s career to date. A career, in which he has been well guided, trained and managed impressively.

Cleverly became the WBO Light Heavyweight champion in 2010 at the tender age of 23. Now three years on, he Is calling out the big names in the division, i.e. Hopkins, Dawson and Cloud who have all appeared reluctant to sign up to a fight, against a boxer who is just Improving In every defense he makes of his title.

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By Scott Gilfoid: I believe there will be blood tonight, and it’s not going to be coming from unbeaten #2 WBO, Sergey Kovalev (21-0-1, 19 KO’s) in his fight against WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KO’s) at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, UK.

Cleverly has gotten by up until now by walking down his less than impressive opposition with his ability to take their best punches, and firing back with his own. Cleverly has won his fights by throwing more shots than his opponents, and in the case where he’s gotten stoppages, it’s been against weak opposition. Tonight, Cleverly’s not going to be facing a weak opponent, and I think he’s going to get knocked out cold when he steps inside the ring to face Kovalev.

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(Photo Courtesy: Richard Maynard/Frank Warren Promotions) By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KO’s) and #2 WBO, Sergey Kovalev (21-0-1, 19 KO’s) made weight today for their big fight tomorrow night at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. Kovalev, 30, came in comfortably 2 pounds under the limit at 173 lbs., and he looked in superb shape.

However, Cleverly barely made the limit in coming in right at 174 lbs., and you have to wonder if he’s been struggling to take weight off. I mean, that’s cutting it close when you come right in just 1 pound under the limit.

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By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KO’s) isn’t known for being a puncher. In fact, he’s more known for being a guy that throws a lot of punches per round, and takes a lot of head shots in the process. His defense has always been his offense in addition to his ability to take awful punishment to the head.

This is why it’s kind of interesting to hear Cleverly predicting a knockout win for himself over his opponent Sergey Kovalev (21-0-1, 19 KO’s) for this Saturday at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, UK.

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By Scott Gilfoid: In the mind of WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KO’s) a win over unbeaten Sergey Kovalev (21-0-1, 19 KO’s) this Saturday night will lead to super fights against Bernard Hopkins and Adonis Stevenson.

Cleverly sees the Kovalev fight as one that’ll bring him a lot of attention in the U.S, because HBO will be televising the fight on Saturday night from the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, South Wales. Cleverly believes, in his own mind, that Bernard Hopkins set up this test for him to see if he can pass it to earn a shot at him.

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