Froch v Cleverly - Will 2012 see the return of the Great British dust up!?

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2011 saw British fighters travel far and wide for success, with varying degrees of success. 2012, however, offers something potentially mouthwatering. A great British dust up!

Carl Froch (28-2) is in search of a road back, Nathan Cleverly (23-0) a significant step forward.

Coming off the back of a fairly comprehensive defeat in the Super Six Final and staring his 35th birthday in the face, Carl Froch want's a big fight to bring him back. With almost 3 years and 7 (yes seven) bouts against world class opposition, no one could begrudge him a 'breather' in the form of a lesser foe in his own backyard. But this isn't in the nature of the man. Bute looks to be off (showtime having refused it apparently), Kessler is still up in the air with regards his hands and his pending fight with Stieglitz, so where does that leave The Cobra?

Enter Nathan Cleverly

The 24 year old Math's graduate holds a WBO title at 175 lbs, but has come in for some criticism over the standard of his opposition of late. With a pending bout with little known Tommy Karpency in February a seeming W waiting to happen and smatterings of fight talk between the camps on the internet (Clev himself said today he would take it), could we be in for an all British dust up in the summer?

It would be youth against experience and could sell out in any city you chose to host it. Froch would get the homecoming fight he so deserves and Cleverly, the opportunity to test his serious talent against a fighter that matters.

It's been many years since the days of Eubank, Watson and Benn. This could be just the fight to arouse the publics interest.

So if Warren and Cleverly are serious, and Froch doesn't mind adding the 8 pounds, then we may well get one for the fans. Here's hoping!

So, who would you have and why?

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clev is fast and throws a lot so he stands a great chance, especially with the size advantage.

but remember bellew gave him many problems, and he isnt in froch's league.

manos de piedra wrote:

Super D Boon wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:Froch would win handily enough for me. Seems like a cheap publicity soundbite from Warren when it looks like Froch will be tied up with Bute this year.

Don't share this opinion and actually think it would be close. Froch is a better boxer but Clev has the better engine and better physicality. Froch doesn't fight well on the back foot and Clev would be pushing him back all night. Both Kessler and Ward have proven he's not that good going backwards.

Bellew and Mohamadi have proven Clev isnt that good full stop in my view. Froch has been mixing it with top fighters way above what Cleverly has been facing. Hes come up short on occasion and Cleverly might have a better engine, but not many other advantages. His best bet, as you say, would be to try and outwork or outhustle Froch but I think Froch deals with that ok from someone of Cleverlys current ability. Froch by 4/5 rounds for me.

Clev has speed and energy but not enough to beat Froch. Despite usually starting slow, once Froch gets going he will bully Clev and possibly stop him, Clev takes way too many shots and he's not powerful enough to keep Froch away. Won't be a pretty fight but I back Froch with some room to spare.

If they are matched any time soon whilst Froch is still able to fight at the top level, this will be deja-vu for when Warren was in a rush to put Enzo in with Haye as he thought Haye was fried at the weight...

That worked out well.

have you heard the rubbish clevs coming out with on sky sports news

welsh fighters are ignored, just like calzaghe (nothing to do with you staying at home then and expecting everyone to come to you which brings me on to my second point)

froch should step up in weight to fight me (why exactly your not even a proper world champ, it would be a lose lose for froch if he wins he beats a paper champ who's been protected by warren, and the fight wont be for much money at a weight he's said he's not comfortable at)

i thought clev was supposed to be smart, he's sounds more like khan here!!

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,,13273_7441546,00.html

Funny video him smacking Darcy Blake in the face

Nathan had better not have smacked him that hard mind as City need him for Pompey at home on Saturday

On to these points:

compelling and rich wrote:welsh fighters are ignored, just like calzaghe (nothing to do with you staying at home then and expecting everyone to come to you which brings me on to my second point)

Who are you referring to? If its Nathan...well he hasnt fought in Wales for 4 years prior to this homecoming fight. He even went into Belllews back yard. Im assuming you meant Joe otherwise that comment would not make sense

compelling and rich wrote:froch should step up in weight to fight me (why exactly your not even a proper world champ, it would be a lose lose for froch if he wins he beats a paper champ who's been protected by warren, and the fight wont be for much money at a weight he's said he's not comfortable at)

A fighter calling out another fighter??? My word whatever is gonna happen next...

And why would Froch wanna fight Cleverly? Oh I dunno maybe because its a domestic clash that people would want to see. I agree Froch is probably better off taking on Bute and a Kessler rematch but lets not make out that domestic fights dont sell or make money

All largely academic really am sure Cleverly's focus will be on Dawson or Hopkins, Warren has been in talks with these some time, am fairly sure a formal announcement must be iminent.

rowley wrote:All largely academic really am sure Cleverly's focus will be on Dawson or Hopkins, Warren has been in talks with these some time, am fairly sure a formal announcement must be iminent.

While I assume this reponse was meant to be sarcastic arnt Dawson and Hopkins going to have a rematch after the exhilarating brutal 2 rounder they had last time?

Not sure Steffan, pity if so because am certain Frank was on the cusp of delivering the fight but for this.

Great comments lads, keep em coming!

Clev said as recently as today he want's it

http://www.boxingscene.com/cleverly-if-fight-easy-why-froch-it--48706

The fight can sell, Froch steps up but not against a huge puncher at the weight. For me this could be great!

From Frochs perspective it might be the better option if Warren was srious about giving him a shot in the Summer. Its a home based and more winnable fight than Bute is. Gives him the opportunity to win a title in another weight class and to some extent gives him a fresh slate in the division. At SMW, even if he beat Bute (debateable) his losses to Kessler and Ward make it hard for himself to become top guy in the division. Its debateable again if he could avenge Kessler and unlikely to beat Ward. At light heavy with Hopkins entering into ridiculously old territory Froch would have a better chance of become the top man at the weight and potentially even unified/undisputed champion there which it would seem highly unlikely he could do at SMW.

Clev wants a shot at the Cobra...if Froch has got the guts to meet him in the ring or anywhere else. He cant duck Clev forever. He can run, but he cant hide

The little man dont wanna come to Clev, so I will lay out the truth. Clev is ranked number one. One! That means he is the best. But this Froch takes the easy matches. Im telling you and everybody here. Clev will fight him anywhere, anytime, for nothing

Froch, his family is doing real nice. He calls himself a fighter, prove it now. Give Clev the same chance. The way he has been ducking him is a disgrace. If he aint no coward, why dont he fight him?

haha classic Steffan, but goading aside, this is a fight that would sell, which means money, a world title on the line and would give Clev a chance to prove himself and froch a second weight class belt. Only prob is, Warren is no longer sky and the Hearns are all about that. How do they get passed that issue?

Seanusarrilius wrote:haha classic Steffan, but goading aside, this is a fight that would sell, which means money, a world title on the line and would give Clev a chance to prove himself and froch a second weight class belt. Only prob is, Warren is no longer sky and the Hearns are all about that. How do they get passed that issue?

It could be done as part of a stacked card on boxnation featuring Groves and DeGale and maybe even Brook in a kind of a joint venture where profits are split and Hearn getting a share of new subscriptions maybe?

the new subs thing is maybe reaching a bit, stack the card for sure, stack it with Warrens stable, Mitchell v Burns, Groves and Degae v diff opponents, i agree. But i think Warren has to spread those fights thin to guarentee fights on boxnation.

rowley wrote:All largely academic really am sure Cleverly's focus will be on Dawson or Hopkins, Warren has been in talks with these some time, am fairly sure a formal announcement must be iminent.

You can't be serious? I can call out the Klitch bros, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, their mother at night, but I doubt they would take much notice of me. Running your mouth off in interviews in UK channels does not make international fights.

bhb001 wrote:

rowley wrote:All largely academic really am sure Cleverly's focus will be on Dawson or Hopkins, Warren has been in talks with these some time, am fairly sure a formal announcement must be iminent.

You can't be serious? I can call out the Klitch bros, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, their mother at night, but I doubt they would take much notice of me. Running your mouth off in interviews in UK channels does not make international fights.

What you trying to say, I hope you're not suggesting Warren would talk about delivering a genuinely big name for his fighter unless he intended to deliver, you should be ashamed of yourself.

rowley wrote:

bhb001 wrote:

rowley wrote:All largely academic really am sure Cleverly's focus will be on Dawson or Hopkins, Warren has been in talks with these some time, am fairly sure a formal announcement must be iminent.

You can't be serious? I can call out the Klitch bros, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, their mother at night, but I doubt they would take much notice of me. Running your mouth off in interviews in UK channels does not make international fights.

What you trying to say, I hope you're not suggesting Warren would talk about delivering a genuinely big name for his fighter unless he intended to deliver, you should be ashamed of yourself.

I feel suitably chastised and will be quiet for the rest of the day.

alma wrote:When was the last time Warren actually did deliver a big name to fight one of his gimps?

Lacy was a big name at the time for Calzaghe and Kostya was a genuinely big name for Hatton, but even these have to be considered against the fact Joe was seven years into his reign so well overdue and Ricky was threatening to leave if he did not get a suitably big name.

I now see that I possibly made an error and that Rowley may not have been as serious as it appeared on paper. I will therefore make up a word and say I am now unchastised and free once again to contribute

rowley wrote:

alma wrote:When was the last time Warren actually did deliver a big name to fight one of his gimps?

Lacy was a big name at the time for Calzaghe and Kostya was a genuinely big name for Hatton, but even these have to be considered against the fact Joe was seven years into his reign so well overdue and Ricky was threatening to leave if he did not get a suitably big name.

Warren always delivers the big fights for his guys.....immediately after they leave him! Read it in his Sun column all the time, "I had this lined up", "I had that lined up", though remarkably those fights never materialise when the fights are in his stable.

You've noticed that as well tophat, he had Bradley done and dusted for Khan could give Brook his pick of the world welterweights and so on and so on, would suspect if Clev left Dawson would have laready been on a plane half way over the Atlantic with a room at the Cardiff Travel Tavern already booked.

rowley wrote:You've noticed that as well tophat, he had Bradley done and dusted for Khan could give Brook his pick of the world welterweights and so on and so on, would suspect if Clev left Dawson would have laready been on a plane half way over the Atlantic with a room at the Cardiff Travel Tavern already booked.

Just had a look at my Cleverly Homecoming tickets. 8 rows from the ring