Comments Thread For: Warren: Cleverly Deal Done With HBO, Waiting on Kovalev

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Nathan Cleverly will make his sixth world title defence at Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena on August 17, but the identity of his opponent remains up in the air.

Cleverly, the WBO light-heavyweight champion, had agreed in principle to fight Sergey Kovalev, but the IBF have now ordered title holder Bernard Hopkins to fight the Russian after he became mandatory challenger following his knockout win over Cornelius White last Friday.

Kovalev must now decide whether he wants to take on Cleverly in Wales, or Hopkins in the United States next.

Cleverly's promoter Frank Warren says he has been in negotiations with HBO, who want to screen the fight, for over a month, but the Welsh fighter may now have to find another opponent to take on in what will be his second fight at the Cardiff venue.

"We were hoping today to announce Nathan's next opponent for a fight that is due to take place on August 17," Warren said at a press conference in central London.

"We were hoping it would be against Sergey Kovalev. [Click Here To Read More]

[yoz]

Why are HBO interested in broadcasting a feather-fisted paper champ?

[King_]

Why are HBO interested in broadcasting a feather-fisted paper champ?

Hbo is very interested in Kovlaev as well.... I read right after the Campillo fight that they were going to try and get Kovlaev a title shot on HBO at the end of the year, so I'm not surprised.


As far as this actual fight though- not that my opinion matters or changes anything, but as a Kovalev fan, I would rather him fight Hopkins since he earned his way to a mandatory and if he fights clev that fight will no longer be there. Cleverly could take a tune-up fight August 17 and if Sergey beats Hopkins they can fight on HBO at the end of the year in a huge unification fight in Wales for both the WBC and IBF titles.


Either way, good to see Kovalev finally breaking through and getting his first title shots. He's going to be a star IMO

[daggum]

Why are HBO interested in broadcasting a feather-fisted paper champ?

they want kovalev and know he will score a brutal ko over cleverly.

[jov6388]

Why are HBO interested in broadcasting a feather-fisted paper champ?

i think you should follow boxing a little more extreme lol ...... cleverly is pretty good quick hands alot fans from wales but the big reason i think hbo will sign off is because Kovalev is no joke! far from feather fisted ! that man has been destroying everybody ... also kill campillo in 3 just demolished him and we all know how solid campillo is .... kovalev is starting to have that golovkin matthysse mystic to him..... damn i hope hopkins takes this fight

[MDPopescu]

i think you should follow boxing a little more extreme lol ...... cleverly is pretty good quick hands alot fans from wales but the big reason i think hbo will sign off is because Kovalev is no joke! far from feather fisted ! that man has been destroying everybody ... also kill campillo in 3 just demolished him and we all know how solid campillo is .... kovalev is starting to have that golovkin matthysse mystic to him..... damn i hope hopkins takes this fight

Since now, Kovalev fought just C-rated fighters -- one cannot say how good he really is.
Hopkins would have taken this fight, but there's no money on the table and grandpa wants some big gates before he retires.

[Mr. Philadel]

this fight makes sense...the winner can have a unification fight with B.Hop and/or Stevenson.....but I think most dudes wanna see Kovalev try to solve that damn near 50 yr old mystery....bring it!!

[King_]

Since now, Kovalev fought just C-rated fighters -- one cannot say how good he really is.
Hopkins would have taken this fight, but there's no money on the table and grandpa wants some big gates before he retires.

How is Campillo a C rated fighter? He beat cloud who Hopkins beat to get his belt.... Everyone always gives hop credit for beating cloud, so how can Campillo be a C rated fighter?

Campillo is a legit top 10 guy and right before Kovlaev beat him he was a top 5 LHW. I'm not understanding this logic. Stop looking at boxrec..... Before Kovalev-Campillo, many people thought Campillo was going to win and Kovalec was the underdog.... Sergey absolutely demolished him and now instead of Kovlaev being a potentially good fighter, Campillo is a bum? Really?

Same people calling Campillo a C level fighter are calling Tavoris cloud a top 10 LHW which one is it?

[LacedUp]

How is Campillo a C rated fighter? He beat cloud who Hopkins beat to get his belt.... Everyone always gives hop credit for beating cloud, so how can Campillo be a C rated fighter?

Campillo is a legit top 10 guy and right before Kovlaev beat him he was a top 5 LHW. I'm not understanding this logic. Stop looking at boxrec..... Before Kovalev-Campillo, many people thought Campillo was going to win and Kovalec was the underdog.... Sergey absolutely demolished him and now instead of Kovlaev being a potentially good fighter, Campillo is a bum? Really?

Same people calling Campillo a C level fighter are calling Tavoris cloud a top 10 LHW which one is it?

Campillo is certainly not elite- That's for sure. See him going to the wire with Murat twice, who Cleverly smashed to bits a couple of years ago.

Kovalev is good though - But I think Cleverly is all wrong for him. Would love to see a fight between Kovalev and Stevenson! Now that would be a war!

[King_]

He also has a very dubious win over Murat who Cleverly smashed to bits a couple of years ago. A lot of people in Britain seem to think that Kovalev is a tomato can. Obviously that's not the case, so I expect Cleverly to get his due respect when he puts it on him.

He also beat Shumenov though who is another titlist..... So he had unofficial wins over Cloud and Shumenov who at the time made 50% of the champions of the LHW division. So either this division is really god AWFUL for two champs to lose to a "C rated fighter" ..... Or Campillo simply isn't a C rated fighter?

Yeah I saw the cleverly interview where he said some guys on twitter were calling Kovalev a taxi driver. Screw those guys they don't know anything about boxing..... If cleverly defends against Kovalev, that is the BEST, biggest and most dangerous possible opponent he could make a mandatory defense against. THIS is what title defenses should be, fighting the top guys who work their way up, make a name for themselves with their performances in the ring, are undefeated and clearly have legit championship potential. Not recycling the same fighters over and over again simply due to the fact that they have a "big name who brings money" or because they are "low risk" AKA Shane Mosley, Gavin Rees, lee Purdy, etc.....

Cleverly WILL get respect if this fight happens. Win or lose, it's actually a win-win for clev IMO. If he wins, he just took out one of the top contenders in the division who everyone was talking about being the next big thing.... If he loses. So what? He lost to an absolute monster who is probably going to run the division if he picks up that title.... And he took a risk not many people were jumping to take and people can stop saying he's protedted, etc