The Dormant Dragon: Why Nathan Cleverly Needs a Big Night at Light Heavyweight
Despite having held a world title, Nathan Cleverly is in danger of being remembered more for his defeats than triumphs.
The Welshman (29-3, 15 KOs) turned 29 on Wednesday. Time is not yet his enemy, but he is in need of a big fight in 2016 to kick-start a career that was derailed by Sergey Kovalev.
Krusher Kovalev emphatically ended Cleverly’s unbeaten record—as well as his reign as WBO light heavyweight champion—on Aug. 17, 2013.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Losing was one thing, but it was the manner of the defeat that was such a surprise.
Kovalev demolished him in the Welsh capital. With Cleverly already tasting the canvas twice in Round 3, the referee stepped in to save him in the fourth.
While his WBO belt was ripped away from him in a hurry, the beaten Cleverly was left with some encouraging words from promoter Kathy Duva, part of Kovalev’s team.
She said, per Gareth A Davies of the Telegraph: "Nathan can come back from this. He’s young, and talented, but for someone who had defended the title five times, he’s still fairly inexperienced. I’ve seen boxers lose before like this and come back to be great champions."
Duva was right—there was nothing to stop Cleverly from making a successful comeback after his first career defeat and going on to become a world champion again.
However, since facing the Russian, Cleverly's career path has been far from straightforward.
He has had five fights, including a brief foray up at cruiserweight, with comfortable victories over Shawn Corbin and Alejandro Emilio Valori paving the way for a rematch with domestic rival Tony Bellew.
Cleverly had won the first meeting—staged at the 175-pound limit— in 2011. But, in moving up in weight, he played right into Bellew's hands. With no issues on the scales, the Englishman, stronger in the ring and no longer sapped of stamina, came out on top via a split-decision points triumph on Nov. 22, 2014.
A third fight between the duo was suggested in the immediate aftermath, but such talk died down quickly. Instead, Cleverly moved back down to light heavyweight.
His comeback at the weight saw him beat Tomas Man in the blink of an eye, but that was hardly ideal preparation for the brutal battle he had with Andrzej Fonfara on Oct. 16, 2015, in Chicago. The two warriors combined to throw more than 2,500 punches over 12 absorbing rounds, per CompuBox stats.
At the end, the visiting fighter (while he's from Poland, Fonfara is based in Chicago) suffered a points defeat.
Cleverly left the ring with a broken nose but also with plenty of praise ringing in his slightly swollen ears.
Fonfara said of his foe, per BritishBoxers.co.uk: "I thought I would knock him out before the fight, but during the fight I realised he has great defence. I had no idea he could take so many punches and still be in the fight. I realised it would be very hard to knock him out. I respect him very much."
However, Cleverly also climbed out between the ropes as the loser, leaving him stuck in light heavyweight no-man’s land after going to war.
The Press Association pointed out in its report (h/t the Guardian): "The fight, for the WBC international light heavyweight title, was regarded by both men as a steppingstone to bigger things, and it remains to be seen where defeat leaves the former WBO world champion Cleverly."
Cleverly is still yet to make his next move. The man who gained a degree in mathematics from Cardiff University has to calculate which way to turn in a division dominated by two men.
Kovalev has the IBF and WBA Super titles in his possession, as well as Cleverly’s old WBO strap. The WBC’s champion, meanwhile, is Adonis Stevenson. Those two are the clear-cut stars.
The boxing world would like them to go toe-to-toe sooner rather than later, but instead they keep dancing around each other. Talks seem to be progressing about as well as an Olympic swimmer trying to do lengths through a pool filled with custard.
That leaves Cleverly with one clear option—Juergen Braehmer, the WBA’s regular champion.
There is history between them.
They were due to meet in May 2011, only for Braehmer—holder of the WBO strap at the time—to back out at late notice because of injury. After beating late replacement Aleksy Kuziemski instead, Cleverly was promoted from his position of interim champion.
Move forward four years and a deal seemed to be done for the two to finally face each other in 2015. Cleverly said, per Wales Online: "Terms have been agreed."
But, once again, it failed to happen.
Then, when the German Braehmer suddenly needed an opponent to replace Thomas Oosthuizen for the next defence of his WBA crown in his homeland on March 12, Cleverly told Danny Flexen of Boxing News:
"If they want it, let’s do it. Eddie Hearn contacted me late last night and said the Sauerlands had contacted him. I’ve been ticking over, simmering, waiting for that phone call and I want it, six weeks’ notice is fine. I am currently at my training weight of around 190lbs but I can easily drop that weight [to the light-heavy limit of 175lbs] in one week if need be, it’s quite straightforward for me. I’m fit, I’ve started sparring, I’m in decent shape.
"
However, the champion instead picked Eduard Gutknecht, an opponent he has already beaten before. Braehmer went for the easier option, which shouldn't come as a surprise. He is able to boast a 47-2 (35 KOs) pro record thanks to some careful planning.
Cleverly, meanwhile, is left to look elsewhere. Per Fight News, he is ranked outside the top 10 by all the major governing bodies.
When he blew out the candles on his birthday cake, his wish should have been for a big fight to come along in 2016.
Perhaps the Braehmer bout does finally happen. Maybe Cleverly tries his luck and goes against Kovalev again, or Stevenson makes an offer that is too good to refuse.
The dormant Welsh dragon still has time on his side to breathe life into his career—all he needs is the right opponent to target.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
