Cleverly vs. Karpency to be shown on EPIX in U.S

By Boxing News - 01/05/2012 - Comments

Image: Cleverly vs. Karpency to be shown on EPIX in U.SBy Sean McDaniel” The February 25th match-up between WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (23-0, 11 KO’s) and #10 WBA ranked challenger Tommy Karpency (21-2-1, 14 KO’s) will reportedly be televised by EPIX in the United States. According to the latest news, the reason why Karpency was selected is because he’s an American and EPIX wanted a U.S fighter to be facing Cleverly due to the U.S fans that will be watching the fight.

Why an unknown fighter like Karpency was picked rather than a better known American is unclear. Cleverly’s promoter wants to build up his name in the U.S in order to make a hoped for unification bout against Bernard Hopkins a bigger fight later in 2012. That’s the fight that Cleverly really wants and one that Hopkins is talking about.

Cleverly’s promoter Frank Warren is still interested in matching Cleverly back up with Tony Bellew in 2012. However, for the February 25th fight, which will be taking place Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales, it wasn’t a suitable venue for the Bellew-Cleverly rematch because the Motorpoint arena only holds 5000 fans. Cleverly’s promoter will be looking for arena that can hold as many as 10,000 for the Cleverly vs. Bellew rematch later this year.

Karpency is seen as a good choice because he was able to take former Cleverly opponent Karo Murat a full 12 in losing to him by a 12 round unanimous decision in May 2010. Although Karpency lost the fight by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision, he was still fighting hard at the end of the fight. The important thing is that Karpency is American and that Cleverly looks good in beating him. Putting Cleverly in with a tough European contender wouldn’t have as much meaning because Americans’ wouldn’t know the guy and Cleverly might struggle to win. He’s got to impress so that the Hopkins fight will interest fans later on in 2012. The one thing that can mess up a Cleverly-Hopkins fight is if Hopkins is forced to fight Chad Dawson again before a Cleverly-Hopkins fight can be made. Hopkins likely will lose to Dawson if they fight again, so Hopkins has to find a way to put that fight off until he’s already fought Cleverly.



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