Skip to main content

Cloud barking, Cleverley biting

Things hotting up between light-heavyweight pair

Tavoris Cloud has virtually called out the whole top ten in his division this week and it seems that one man fancies his chances against the IBF Light-Heavyweight Champion.

Out of the five men Cloud called out, Nathan Cleverley, ranked number 4 by IBF, has stepped forward as the man who seemingly wants to take up the Tallahassee fighter’s offer to “beat them in their own hometown.”

Cleverley, 23, fights for interim WBO Title at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on December 11th, whilst Cloud (21-0) takes on Fulgencio Zuniga just six days later and if both come through their respective title bouts, it could set up an explosive clash between the two unbeaten fighters in the New Year.
Cleverley: Title chance

Cleverley’s opponent on the night is Alejandro Lakatos (31-5-2), who lost a unanimous decision to Zsolt Erdei in his last WBO Title challenge and the Welshman will be confident of picking up the interim belt.

Cloud 28, makes his second defence of the title he ripped from another British light-heavyweight Clinton Woods. He has since out-boxed former champion Glen Johnson over 12 rounds and seems to be at the height of his powers.

If both men do meet in the ring, it could happen at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium on Cleverley’s home-soil and would be a hot ticket on the British Isles.








Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Billy Collins Jr.

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  Collins after the fight Williams Ray Collins Jr. or Billy Collins Jr. as he became known, was born to a boxing father in Antioch, Tennessee in 1961. His father William Sr, once fought Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes and wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps, so decided to train Billy himself. Collins Jr. turned pro in 1981, a welterweight, just like his father before him and impressively won his first 14 professional contests, 11 by knockout with eight inside the first three rounds. It was 1983 and Billy was matched up against Puerto Rican journeyman Luis Resto on the undercard of Roberto Duran v Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden in a ten rounder. Resto wasn’t known for his punching power but Billy took a sustained beating for the full ten rounds, his face, badly damaged and his eyes were almost shut. After the fight, which Resto won on decision, Billy’s father shook Resto’s hand and noticed there wasn’t much padding in his gl...

The Ring Magazine P4P Top 10 compared to WBN's P4P Top 10

World Boxing News pound for pound Top 10 (25/11/2011) 1. Manny Pacquaio (53-3-2) WBO Welterweight champion and WBC light-middleweight champion 2. Nonito Donaire (26-1) WBC and WBO bantamweight champion 3. Floyd Mayweather Jr (41-0) 4. Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2) WBC and IBO light-heavyweight champion 5. Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1) WBA and WBO lightweight champion 6. Miguel Cotto (36-2-0) WBA "Super" light-middleweight champion 7. Sergio Martinez (47-2-2) 8. Wladimir Klitschko (55-3-0) WBO and IBF heavyweight champion 9. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (80-3-1) WBC flyweight champion 10. Chris John (44-0-2) WBA “super” world featherweight champion Do you agree or disagree? Have your say on the WBN Facebook wall at  http://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Boxing-News/134654593225151

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  (picure by boxrec.com)  After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway.  One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie ga...