McIntosh and Cleverly go head to head

ByBoxing Press

Unbeaten duo Danny McIntosh and Nathan Cleverly will come face to face tomorrow (1pm at the York Hall) to weigh in ahead of their British and Commonwealth Light Heavyweight title showdown at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on Saturday night.

The double title clash headlines the Hennessy Sports event with ITV4’s coverage of the Big Fight Live starting at 8pm and running until 11pm. The undercard includes former British and European Lightweight champion Jon Thaxton in an intriguing clash with Tom Glover while unbeaten Heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury makes his seventh pro appearance on the undercard.

Many within boxing are tipping Welsh star Cleverly as the next Joe Calzaghe but McIntosh believes that he can upset the odds and inflict the first defeat of Cleverly’s career while maintaining his own perfect record.

“There’s going to be a lot of people with egg on their face after this fight,” predicted McIntosh. “I’ve heard people like Barry McGuigan saying that it’s too soon for me and that I need more experience but I couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks.”

McIntosh has been unimpressed by Cleverly’s reign as Commonwealth champion and questions the calibre of his opposition. “He’s looked good blowing them away but anyone would have looked good against those guys. He’s a nice technician and a decent boxer but I don’t think he’s been tested at all yet and he’s going to get a shock when he gets in the ring with me.”

Cleverly though believes he can add the vacant British title to his Commonwealth belt. “I’m very confident,” said the Cefn Fforst man. “He’s a respectable boxer but I think I’m in a different league to him to be honest. No way am I phased by Danny McIntosh, I’ve sparred bigger and better guys than him and I think it’s a matter of going into the York Hall and doing what I do best, remaining unbeaten and bringing the belts away.”

6 foot 9 inch heavyweight giant Tyson Fury will look to extend his unbeaten record to seven straight wins on the undercard and maintain his 100% KO ratio in the process by becoming the first man to stop durable Latvian Aleksandrs Selezens.

The chief support bout will see Tom Glover looking to upset the applecart once again as he takes on former British and European Lightweight champ Jon Thaxton while in a special attraction recent Big Brother evictee Angel McKenzie will look to resume her professional boxing career as she takes on Welsh opponent Lana Cooper.

The action packed undercard also features Ireland’s undefeated EU Lightweight champ, Andy Murray and hot prospects Steve O’Meara, Lee Purdy, Dwayne Lewis, Bobby Ward and Del Rogers. Tickets (£35 Unreserved and £70 Ringside) are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.