Saturday night Frank Warren promotes a card from Wembley Arena, London featuring
some of the hottest talent in British boxing right now. Headlining is Wales' undefeated
Nathan Cleverly, 18-0-0 (8), fighting for the vacant European light heavyweight title
against Italy's Antonio Brancalion, 32-7-2 (8).
Cleverly, a mathematics undergraduate at Cardiff University, hails from the same small corner of the world as Welshman Joe Calzaghe, and many people would say possesses just as much potential as Calzaghe did all those years ago.
Saturday he will get the chance to step up a level and claim the European title, and the top ten rating that goes with it but Brancalion, a fourty one fight veteran, will be no pushover. Although tending to lose when moving up in class, as evidenced by his losses to Mario Veit (UD8), Stipe Drews (UD12) and in his most recent fight against Jurgen Braehmer (TKO1), he can produce the upset, most notably shown when outpointing Tomasz Adamek over twelve in 2007. That result alone should make Cleverly sit up and take notice. If not it could prove to be the toughest night yet for the young Welshman.
Cleverly though has no doubt who will win and is just pleased to be fighting after the bout was previously cancelled on two occasions.
"It's been a bit frustrating because we had the date set initially for December 5 and then the Italians won the purse bids for January 29 but couldn't stage the fight" he explained, "so they've messed us around a bit and it's been frustrating, but you get these setbacks in boxing and you've just got to come through them."
"It's worked out quite well. It may be a blessing in disguise because it's not in Italy now, we're in Britain. It could have worked out for the best. This is my fourth time in a row in London and each time I've come here I've been successful and enjoyed the atmosphere so I'm glad to be back to be honest."
"I'm just raring to go now and get in there to win the European belt."
Also on the card, recent Breidis Prescott conqueror Kevin Mitchell, 30-0-0 (22),
returns with what on paper seems a fairly simple test against Colombia's Ignacio
Mendoza, 27-5-2 (18) in a twelve round lightweight bout for the highly undesirable
WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title bauble.
As mentioned, most recently Mitchell was seen outboxing and outpointing Breidis Prescott, who of course sensationally KO'd Amir Khan in a round. It was an impressive, mature performance from Mitchell, who, whilst always regarded as a hot prospect, has at times neglected to use his talent and on more than one occasion has got involved in scraps he shouldn't have, so the Prescott win could have been a big step for the Essex youngster.
Mendoza, who has fought as a pro almost exclusively out of Spain, is in far too deep and will do well to make a fight of it. Having only gone past eight rounds once (in losing a unanimous twelve round decision to Ivan Fiorletta for the ridiculous IBF Mediterranean super featherweight title) it is hard to see how Mendoza can win.
Mitchell has recently called out fellow Brit Amir Khan, but also has one eye on a World title shot of his own.
"I reckon when the summer comes, or just before, I'll have my world title fight," Mitchell said. "(Promoter) Frank Warren has guided my career for seven years now and I'm 30 fights unbeaten, he's had it spot on. When he says it's time to go for a world title, we'll go. I'm ready now, though.
"Amir would be doing me a massive favour if he fights Marquez, which means Marquez will give up his world title and that puts me in line to face Michael Katsidis for the world title. I was there the night when Katsidis beat Graham Earl in 2007 and I tried to say hello to him. He was a bit blunt with me and I was only a young lad. He was a bit arrogant. He'll know exactly who I am now, though."
Also on this stacked card, unbeaten heavyweight Derek Chisora, 11-0-0 (6), consolidates
after his bout with British champion Danny Williams was cancelled, with a ten rounder
against man-mountain Carl 'The Fridge' Baker, 9-4-0 (6).
Chisora was himself a replacement for the injured Sam Sexton, but then the second original fighter of that bout Williams pulled out leaving Chisora to seek a late replacement. In stepped Baker, who whilst fairly durable is highly unlikely to upset the Chisora applecart.
There's also outing for Olympians James DeGale, 5-0-0 (3), and Frankie Gavin, 5-0-0 (5), who face Matthew Barr, 14-5-0 (6), and Peter McDonagh, 14-15-0 (2), respectively, plus undefeated Jamie Cox, 13-0-0 (8), takes on Michael Frontin, 2-6-1, and the three Walsh brothers also appear.
By CEI SMITH
