Archive for the ‘Boxing’ Category

Nathan Cleverly: Welshman could fight again in April in London

Promoter Frank Warren hopes to set Nathan Cleverly up with a big summer bout against Bernard Hopkins in Cardiff.

Welshman Cleverly successfully defended his WBO light-heavyweight title on Saturday night by beating Tommy Karpency on points.

Warren would like his next outing to be at London’s Royal Albert Hall in April – the venue’s first professional boxing bill for 10 years – but a megafight with American veteran Hopkins is where big money could be made.

The Caerphilly fighter, who completely outclassed Karpency in Cardiff en route to a unanimous decision from the judges, has already spoken of his desire to move on to a big unification fight, with the winner of the April 28 WBC title clash between Chad Dawson and Hopkins top of the agenda.

While Warren is looking to put that contest on at the Millennium Stadium or Cardiff City Stadium, he has also revealed he hopes the Welshman will defend his belt in London, also on April 28.

Warren said: “Nathan is coming on in leaps and bounds and all our attention will now of course turn to April 28 and the Bernard Hopkins v Chad Dawson fight, then we will be making a big decision about a fight in the summer.

“In the meantime I have the Royal Albert Hall booked for April 28.

“I don’t know if Nathan will be ready for that but I would not mind him being the guy to take boxing back there.

Prestigious

“Nathan needs big fights, he rises to them and he has great temperament.”Frank Warren Quotes of the week

“There has been no professional boxing there for many, many years, it is probably the best venue in the country, the most prestigious venue and you could not get a better representative for British boxing than Nathan, to showcase taking professional boxing back there.”

As for a potential summer stadium bout in south Wales, Warren says his preferred opponent for such a contest is Hopkins.

He said: “For me the best fight for Nathan would be Hopkins.

“I have a feeling Dawson may upset the odds when they face each other, he will give him a lot of problems, but I would prefer Hopkins.

“He is a big name, he had a good fight with Joe Calzaghe and if we brought him over and did that show at Cardiff City Stadium or the Millennium Stadium, it would be a great atmosphere with maybe 50,000 people in there.

“Nathan needs big fights, he rises to them and he has great temperament.”

Cleverly, whose victory extended his 100 per cent record to 24 wins from 24 fights, said he would gladly accept the chance to fight Hopkins, and also suggested he would be ready to fight again on Warren’s mooted Royal Albert Hall date.

“I want to go and get a few more fights as champion to keep learning about being world champion,” he said. “This wasn’t a brutal fight so I will be fine for April, it will be good to keep active.”

Alexander Povetkin (L) survived a tough night against Marco Huck

Alexander Povetkin retained his WBA heavyweight title with an unconvincing win against Marco Huck in Stuttgart.

Huck, the current WBO cruiserweight champion, rocked Povetkin in the fourth and seventh rounds but was unable to finish the job against a man 20lbs heavier.

However, he was still unfortunate not to get the verdict with two judges giving it to the Russian and one scoring it a draw.

The decision was greeted with a chorus of boos with Povetkin looking exhausted at the end of the 12-round contest.

“I under-estimated him, ” admitted the champion, who won the belt after the sanctioning body awarded Wladimir Klitschko ‘super-champion’ status after beating David Haye.

“Perhaps I didn’t take this fight seriously enough.”

Huck’s best chance to end it early came in the seventh, when Povetkin was trapped on the ropes before the bell saved him.

He regained his composure to hold his own in the later rounds, although Huck caught him again with a big right hand in the 10th, which he managed to survive.

“A lot of people who saw this fight see me as the winner,” said Huck, who finished it with a gash by the right eye, his record dropping to 34-2. “He couldn’t stand anymore and he’s been judged the champion.”

Nathan Cleverly: Unable to stop the tough Tommy Karpency

Nathan Cleverly paid tribute to the durable Tommy Karpency after he was taken the distance in Saturday’s WBO light-heavyweight title defence.

Cleverly was an overwhelming favourite against the American and although it was an impressive, lop-sided win his opponent took plenty of credit.

“He was probably the toughest opponent I have faced over the distance. A lot of guys are tough over six rounds, but wilt in the championship rounds. “Nathan Cleverly Quotes of the week

Karpency took lots of punishment but deservedly heard the final bell as the Welshman made a successful third defence of his belt.

Tough

“It was good boxing match. It was an excellent fight,” he said. “Tommy showed tonight why he has sparred with world-class fighters. He is very tough, has good power and is a tough fighter.

“A lot of people criticised our choice of opponent but I have moved through the British scene with ease, I was in university when I was knocking out the British guys.

“So it shows at world level you can’t take anything for granted. I knew if I took my eye off the game he would punish me.

“He was probably the toughest opponent I have faced over the distance. A lot of guys are tough over six rounds, but wilt in the championship rounds.

“But Tommy is a 12-round fighter and it makes a difference.”

Condition

Karpency was impressed with Cleverly, whom he says is now ready to take on anyone in the division.

“There is nobody who I have been in with who could knock over Nathan,” he said. “Having gone 12 rounds with him tonight I say he could fight with anyone in the world.

“He is in top condition, he has a high work-rate and he takes good shots. I hit him with some real good shots tonight and he just sucked them up which surprised me more than anything.

“He is ready for anyone.”

Devon Alexander: Impressive debut at welterweight

Former light-welterweight champion Devon Alexander made a sparkling debut at a higher weight when dominating Marcos Maidana in St Louis.

Alexander, looking to rebuild his career after losing a unification fight with Timothy Bradley just over a year ago, looked comfortable at welterweight in contrast to the former Amir Khan victim.

It was a messy fight from the outset with Alexander cut over the right eye in the third round, but Maidana appeared to be labouring with the American snapping his shots out.

Alexander looked better and better as the fight wore on, catching his opponent with leads and smart counters with a straight left rocking Maidana, who ended on the canvas – judged as the result of a push.

It was pretty much a shutout win for the 25-year-old, who won all 10 rounds on two of the judges’ scorecards and moves to 23-1 record, with Argentinian Maidana slipping to 31-3.

There are all sorts of possibilities for Alexander at 147lb, with a fight against Khan later this year not out of the question.

In the co-main event Adrien Broner easily retained his WBO super-featherweight title with a fourth round stoppage win over an outclassed Eloy Perez.

Nathan Cleverly: Facile points victory

Nathan Cleverly produced a classy, assured display on his homecoming night to comfortably retain his WBO light-heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision victory over American Tommy Karpency at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.

The 25-year-old was the overwhelming favourite going into the fight against the Pennsylvania southpaw, and was eager to impress in his first fight on home turf in over four years.

And he did so in superb fashion, taking control of the bout from the first bell to the last, not losing a round as all three judges scored the fight 120-108 in the Welshman’s favour after Karpency, who battled gamely throughout, found his speed and accuracy too much to handle.

Cleverly had spoken in the build-up to the fight of his admiration for another Welsh boxing hero, Joe Calzaghe.

Super middleweight king Calzaghe, who retired with an unbeaten record from 46 fights, and Cleverly both hail from the county and borough of Caerphilly and the former fighter would doubtless have been impressed by his countryman as he claimed a win he hopes will lead to a unification fight this summer.

Cleverly started with some solid combinations and spent the majority of the first round on the front foot, although a brief slip had Karpency’s corner appealing for a knockdown.

But Karpency, in his first world title shot, was initially happy to trade shots, although Cleverly remained in control with some judicious body punching during the second.

Dominant

The pattern continued during the third, with Cleverly getting some joy with two solid straight lefts, and by the end of the fourth the challenger appeared to be fading under the strain of Cleverly’s incessant work-rate.

Into the fifth and a series of sharp combinations again set the American back on his heels as Cleverly stalked him around the ring, and a ferocious right-left shook Karpency in the sixth.

Karpency was managing to get away the odd counter, but the end seemed to be drawing near when Cleverly teed off the seventh round with a trio of punishing right hands.

But Karpency has become known for his durability and he somehow managed to see out a ninth round which he spent the large majority of penned in his corner by a constant flurry of Cleverly combinations.

More of the same followed over the final three rounds although Karpency refused to bow and briefly rocked the Welshman with a left in the final round, but Cleverly’s victory was never in doubt to the delight of a passionate home crowd.

The win extends Cleverly’s unbeaten record to 24 wins, with this the 13th of those fights to go the distance.

On the undercard, former world cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli stopped Ciaran Healy in two rounds and Frankie Gavin returned with a third-round KO of Kevin McIntyre.

Lee McAlliser: Retired against Denis Shafikov

Outclassed Scotsman Lee McAllister suffered an anti-climactic defeat in his European light-welterweight challenge against unbeaten Russian Denis Shafikov.

Fighting on home turf in Aberdeen, McAllister was quickly reminded of the size of the task facing him as Shafikov dominated throughout.

And his task was further undermined by a hand injury which prompted McAllister to quit after seven rounds.

McAllister was a real underdog going into the bout but made a solid start in the opening round. However, the champion was soon asserting himself, landing with regularity and spearing the Scot with occasional power shots.

Shafikov’s work was more industrious, commanding and punishing and McAllister’s demeanour quickly became dispirited.

Reach

He held a clear height and reach advantage but could not keep the Russian off, instead being bullied around the squared circle and kept on the ropes.

Roared on by a partisan crowd at the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre, he shook off a lot of punishment – including an apparent hand injury – before calling it a night.

As the bell rang to restart the action the Scot got off his stool but, shaking his head, went straight to Shafikov to congratulate him on his win.

“I never seem to get a fair crack but things happen for a reason,” McAllister told Sky Sports 1.

“I hurt my left hand, hit him on the top of the head, I thought I was boxing ok to be honest but once I lost my jab I was a bit knackered to be honest, every time I hit the jab I had shooting pains up my arm but there’s no excuses he came in here and did a job.

Retire

“The last thing a fighter wants is to retire but if it has to be done it has to be done. It was the biggest night of my career but it’s been ruined by an injury to my hand. But everything happens for a reason and hopefully I’ll get another crack.

“Our plan was to take it easy pick him off and wait for the later rounds and take him out then. I was looking to take him beyond the eighth and then have a go from there.

“But he’s offered me the re-match anyway so maybe it’s a free trip to Russia and get paid for it. But then we could get him back to Aberdeen and a bigger arena for the rematch.”

Nathan Cleverly (r) must first deal with Tommy Karpency (l)

Ahead of Saturday’s world-title defence against Tommy Karpency, Nathan Cleverly is already eyeing a future unification bout.

The WBO light-heavyweight champion is the overwhelming favourite to retain his belt at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff against the American southpaw.

The 25-year-old is unbeaten in 23 fights as a professional but is already confident of stretching that to 24 – and then moving on to bigger and better things in the summer with the likes of Beibut Shumenov and Tavoris Cloud in his sights.

Cleverly said: “Provided we come through this in a good fashion I think there would be a unification fight not too far down the line.

“Fighters like (WBA champion) Shumenov or (IBF belt-holder) Cloud, I would definitely like to fight one of those guys.

“There is also the Chad Dawson against Bernard Hopkins fight coming up and I wouldn’t mind facing the winner of that.

Future

“I think that fight will happen in the future but I think that would be towards the back end of 2012, but that could happen in the foreseeable future.”

For now, though, Cleverly is gearing up for his first fight on home soil in more than four years, and, after a tough training camp, the Welshman says he is raring to go.

“I feel good, it’s been a long camp but mentally I feel satisfied which is of number one importance,” he said.

“Physically I feel good, so we are ready for the big night, it’s satisfying to go into one of the biggest nights of my life, my homecoming, in such a good position.”

Marco Huck: Bidding to become a two-weight champion

Marco Huck believes he can make a successful transition to the heavyweight division when he challenges WBA champion Alexander Povetkin on Saturday.

The German suffered his sole defeat in 2007 but has made eight defences of the WBO cruiserweight title in the last three years.

Former Olympic champion Povetkin, who won the vacant title when Wladimir Klitschko was elevated to ‘super champion’ status, remains unbeaten but is still largely untested at the highest level.

And Huck says he has the tools to inflict a first defeat on the Russian despite the likelihood of having to give away around two stones in weight.

“I’m ready to become heavyweight champion,” Huck said. “I would not have taken the fight if I didn’t believe in myself.

“Povetkin is good, but I can beat him. We once did sparring together and he has bad memories of me. On Saturday, I will be the new champ. He is going down.”

But Povetkin, whose record of 23 wins includes 16 knockouts, seemed unperturbed by Huck’s show of confidence.

“At first I was surprised about Huck’s challenge because he has never fought at heavyweight before,” he said. “But I am happy to defend my title against anybody out there. I am in great shape and I will win.”