Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
Warren claims purse bid for WBO mandatory bout
Light-heavyweight world champion Nathan Cleverly will have
home advantage for his next defence of the WBO title after promoter Frank
Warren won the purse bid for his mandatory clash with Robin Krasniqi next year.
The pair are set to meet on March 16 at a venue in the UK
following Warren’s success in gaining the rights to stage the bout - which will
take place almost a year after the two were originally scheduled to face-off.
Cleverly, 25, pulled out of their April 28th headliner at the Royal Albert Hall through illness weeks before the fight and was ordered by the WBO
the rearrange Krasniqi’s title chance as the Welshman pursued a high-profile
fight with Bernard Hopkins.
Former pound for pound star Hopkins is now hoping to be
given the all clear by the IBF to challenge their champion Tavoris Cloud on
March 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. That leaves Cleverly free to deal
with his obligations with the WBO before re-igniting a possible unification
with ‘B-Hop’ if the American can regain the world title at the age of 48.
25 year-old Krasniqi, who hasn’t lost in his last 38 bouts stretching
back six years, has kept himself busy with knockout victories over previously
unbeaten Serdar Sahin and US journeyman Max Heyman whilst awaiting an
agreement for his title shot.
The Serbian-born German lost two of his first three professional
contests, but has never been stopped and will represent a fifth title defence for
Cefn Forest-based Cleverly in the spring.