By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (26-0, 12 KO’s) will be defending his title against unbeaten #4 IBF, #5 WBC, #6 WBO, #8 WBA, Sergey Kovalev (21-0-1, 19 KO’s) on August 17th at the Motorpoint Arena, in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, according to Steve Kim. He says that Kathy Duva of Main Events reports that the Cleverly vs. Kovalev fight is a “Done deal” and that the fight will be televised in the United States on HBO.
That’s potentially a big deal for the 26-year-old Cleverly because a win over Kovalev will really help put him on the map in the U.S with boxing fans because he’s still unknown guy there, aside from with hardcore boxing fans. A win over Kovalev would give Cleverly his first real win of his career against someone that’s actually a good fighter instead of the guys that Cleverly has been fighting his entire 8-year pro career.
The best fighters that Cleverly has been in with thus far have been Tony Bellew and Robin Krasniqi; neither of which are in the same class as Kovalev. I see Bellew as a lesser version of Kovalev once you take away Kovalev’s ability to throw combinations, throw with major power, and fight hard for the full 12 rounds. Cleverly barely beat Bellew.
This is going to be an awfully tough fight for Cleverly, and I can’t see him winning the fight other than by a controversial decision where he gets whipped and still gets the decision. That’s the only way I can see Cleverly beating this guy because Kovalev has got major power and he’s a much better puncher than Cleverly is, and he’s able to throw nonstop punches for 12 rounds.
Cleverly’s main plus as a fighter is that he throws constant shots and he tends to outwork his opponents, but Kovalev does the same thing except he throws punches with power. If Cleverly decides to go toe-to-toe with this guy, I see Kovalev knocking him out and taking the judges out of the picture on August 17th.
I really can’t see Cleverly winning this fight because Kovalev won’t let the judges get involved. He’s going to jump on Cleverly hit him with some frightening punches that are going to be scary to look at.
I saw Cleverly get buzzed by 2nd tier fighter Shawn Hawk last year in November. If a mediocre fighter like Hawk was able to do that to Cleverly, then just imagine what a big puncher with good size and a high work rate like Kovalev will do to him.
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