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Nathan Cleverly hopes the first American defence of his WBO light-heavyweight title will end a quiet year on a high and help set up some stellar fights in 2013.
Protecting an unblemished 24-fight record, Cleverly boxes as champion for the fourth time on Saturday night when he takes on Shaun Hawk at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Hawk suffered a second career lost last time out and the South Dakota man was only named as a late replacement for Ryan Coyne earlier this week after contractual issues with his promoter Don King put paid to the world-title ambitions of Cleverly's intended opponent.
The fraught build-up has been symptomatic of a sometimes frustrating 18 months for Cleverly since his first defence of the world crown in May last year against Poland's Aleksy Kuziemski, a hastily-arranged opponent after Juergen Braehmer had his belt awarded to the Welshman following an injury withdrawal and domestic rival Tony Bellew failed to make the weight at short notice.
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Protecting an unblemished 24-fight record, Cleverly boxes as champion for the fourth time on Saturday night when he takes on Shaun Hawk at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Hawk suffered a second career lost last time out and the South Dakota man was only named as a late replacement for Ryan Coyne earlier this week after contractual issues with his promoter Don King put paid to the world-title ambitions of Cleverly's intended opponent.
The fraught build-up has been symptomatic of a sometimes frustrating 18 months for Cleverly since his first defence of the world crown in May last year against Poland's Aleksy Kuziemski, a hastily-arranged opponent after Juergen Braehmer had his belt awarded to the Welshman following an injury withdrawal and domestic rival Tony Bellew failed to make the weight at short notice.
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