Team Ward sent Cleverly an offer. 2 others in the mix

According to multiple sources with knowledge of the plans, Roc Nation Sports has the Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland on hold on July 30 for the HBO-televised fight it is trying to finalize. The leading candidate to land the fight with Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) is former light heavyweight titlist Nathan Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs), of Wales, whom Kovalev crushed in four rounds to win his first world title belt in Wales in 2013. An offer has been made to Matchroom Boxing, Cleverly’s promoter. The fighter and promoter are interested in the fight, according to a source with knowledge of the offer, although Cleverly is also considering a possible shot at secondary titlist Juergen Braehmer. There are also two other names in the running to face Ward: Colombia’s Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs), whom Ward was supposed to fight in November on the Canelo Alvarez-Miguel Cotto HBO PPV undercard in Las Vegas before pulling out because of swelling in his knee, and Sweden’s Erik Skoglund (25-0, 11 KOs), a rising contender who counts a 10-round decision win in 2014 against faded former light heavyweight world champion Glen Johnson as his most noteworthy victory. Deal for July 30 Ward fight getting closer PER Porky Rafeal Nathan Cleverly...WBC #10 Alexander Brand...WBA #10 Erik Skoglund...IBF #3 & WBO #5

Comments (20)

NC_Uppercut

Now there's a good chance ward could get hurt in a serious fight, and would stall or cancel kovo. I voted not a fan of either/any choice. Rest up and save body for the beating coming from Kov

10y ago

Jubei

How the fu.. is Alexander Brand who did not have ONE fight at 175 ranked at 10 by the WBA? That guy is a Supermiddle and a pretty terrible and unproven one as well. All of these 3 guys are worse than Chilemba, Brand would be absolutely horrific.

10y ago

aldo5408

Damn over 50% voted for Cleverly that's suprising

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

That's justification for Canelo to cherrypick Pac, for example. Again the guy we saw this weekend brings nothing for GGG, except outsized purse demands. Well, to be fair. That's a middlewight vs a welterweight. Lara/GGG would be a Jr. Middleweight looking to mOve up to 160.

10y ago

HeroBando

Who you're in the ring with and beat should count for something as well. That's justification for Canelo to cherrypick Pac, for example. Again the guy we saw this weekend brings nothing for GGG, except outsized purse demands.

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

Right but in boxing size is an advantage. Who you're in the ring with and beat should count for something as well.

10y ago

HeroBando

Ok cool and btw, Lara's done more at 154 than Saunders, Eubank, Lee, Lemuix, Murray, Monroe, Wade, Stevens, etc have done at 160. Right but in boxing size is an advantage.

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

Lara has no resume at 160 at all. The Canelo loss was 155? Did you even watch his fight last weekend? Why would you even sweat Lara as an opponent for Ggg then? It's an obvious mismatch I'm not putting Ggg on top of p4p lists. That's all the writers, trainers, insiders and fellow fighters Ok cool and btw, Lara's done more at 154 than Saunders, Eubank, Lee, Lemuix, Murray, Monroe, Wade, Stevens, etc have done at 160.

10y ago

HeroBando

Ok, GGG continues to fight empty names with no resume's cool. Just dont put em in P4P conversations. Don't put em in fighter of the year conversations because its disrespectful to the sport and to the guys that are actually fighting breathing opponents. "He ranked doe" in a desert of a weight class means absolutely nothing. Lara has no resume at 160 at all. The Canelo loss was 155? Did you even watch his fight last weekend? Why would you even sweat Lara as an opponent for Ggg then? It's an obvious mismatch I'm not putting Ggg on top of p4p lists. That's all the writers, trainers, insiders and fellow fighters

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

He is a better boxer than those guys but again we go back to small and underwhelming Jmw. The others are ranked middles and Saunders brings a belt making Ggg the only 4 belt undisputed champ of the decade. Dunno why you keep bringing up Jacobs, he's made himself unavailable for the undercard date with Mora or TBA Ok, GGG continues to fight empty names with no resume's cool. Just dont put em in P4P conversations. Don't put em in fighter of the year conversations because its disrespectful to the sport and to the guys that are actually fighting breathing opponents. "He ranked doe" in a desert of a weight class means absolutely nothing.

10y ago

HeroBando

Are you joking? Lara isn't better than Lemuix, Wade, Monroe, Murray etc???? Lara's resume doesn't **** on theirs??? Saunders is not a better option than Lara, you know why? Because Sanders has proven absolutely nothing in a professional boxing ring against an opponent with a pulse! If you don't fight Lara, then fight Jacobs! This is getting ridiculous man. What has Saunders done in the sport? What has Eubank done in the sport??? GGG will probably beat both Jacobs and Lara, but he needs to fight them because it will at least bring some legitamacy to his very poor and empty resume. Wins over these "top 10" middleweights and "title holders" does nothing because they themselves havent beaten anybody. Lara, Jacobs, Degale, Ward. These are the guys who are willing to fight you and bring serious stock to his resume. He is a better boxer than those guys but again we go back to small and underwhelming Jmw. The others are ranked middles and Saunders brings a belt making Ggg the only 4 belt undisputed champ of the decade. Dunno why you keep bringing up Jacobs, he's made himself unavailable for the undercard date with Mora or TBA

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

Dunno about that, he just lost 5 rounds to Vanes. Small and underwhelming at JMW. If he wants a sure shot, just go mando, that'd be a decent defense for GGG. If he wants better money, take Saunders' belt or at least take that regular belt off Jacobs, who doesn't want the mando anyway Are you joking? Lara isn't better than Lemuix, Wade, Monroe, Murray etc???? Lara's resume doesn't **** on theirs??? Saunders is not a better option than Lara, you know why? Because Sanders has proven absolutely nothing in a professional boxing ring against an opponent with a pulse! If you don't fight Lara, then fight Jacobs! This is getting ridiculous man. What has Saunders done in the sport? What has Eubank done in the sport??? GGG will probably beat both Jacobs and Lara, but he needs to fight them because it will at least bring some legitamacy to his very poor and empty resume. Wins over these "top 10" middleweights and "title holders" does nothing because they themselves havent beaten anybody. Lara, Jacobs, Degale, Ward. These are the guys who are willing to fight you and bring serious stock to his resume.

10y ago

HeroBando

And that's sad, he'd be the best fighter Golovkin had ever beaten. Unquestionably Dunno about that, he just lost 5 rounds to Vanes. Small and underwhelming at JMW. If he wants a sure shot, just go mando, that'd be a decent defense for GGG. If he wants better money, take Saunders' belt or at least take that regular belt off Jacobs, who doesn't want the mando anyway

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

Again Jacobs could be next if he wasn't targeting Mora/TBA on that undercard. Lara is a JMW stinker, all depends on what his purse demands are. Unless he goes mando, which is an easy route to a GGG fight, he's never gonna be #1 option And that's sad, he'd be the best fighter Golovkin had ever beaten. Unquestionably

10y ago

MrFantastic

26 votes for Cleverly so far. WTF?!?! Such standards for the world's best.

10y ago

techliam

Cleverly isn't a bad fight But I really don't see how its any preparation for Kovalev. Cleverly has zero power at the weight

10y ago

HeroBando

Come on man, even with all the negative flaws you bring up concerning the fighters I mentioned they are still unquestionably better options than the guy's he's currently fighting. I know you guys dont like to admit it but he's fighting straight garbage. He'd beat Lara and Jacobs, why not get their scalps and have legitmate fighters on your resume???? Again Jacobs could be next if he wasn't targeting Mora/TBA on that undercard. Lara is a JMW stinker, all depends on what his purse demands are. Unless he goes mando, which is an easy route to a GGG fight, he's never gonna be #1 option

10y ago

LacedUp

Cleverly would be a good fight.

10y ago

JStill_Unbiased

Only one of those is a MW, in fact GGGs mando however Jacobs doesnt wanna exercise it, at least not next. Lara is a mismatch like the others, but doesnt bring a belt or even a mando spot, just large purse demands. Loeffler said he was interested in Degale but that was before his poor performance vs Porky last time out. Will probably still happen if Degale stays relevant. Come on man, even with all the negative flaws you bring up concerning the fighters I mentioned they are still unquestionably better options than the guy's he's currently fighting. I know you guys dont like to admit it but he's fighting straight garbage. He'd beat Lara and Jacobs, why not get their scalps and have legitmate fighters on your resume????

10y ago

TAKEOVER7209

This is sorta pointless, it's not really gonna build up anything. Kovalev probably fights another bum too, just make the damn fight happen. It's already signed. Kov fights Chilemba July 11 and Ward fights July 30 then they fight next.

10y ago