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Former IBF champion Clinton Woods still sits atop the light heavyweight division in the UK but two up and coming young guns clash tonight at historic York Hall in London for the vacant British belt and the Commonwealth crown as well.
Welshman Nathan Cleverly, 16-0 (6), has been hailed as the “next Joe Calzaghe” due to his prowess in the ring and at just 22 years of age, could be the face of the future in the British Isles.
Standing nearly 6’4, Cleverly has surprising quickness to go along with the very long reach and since defeating the very experienced Tony Oakey for the Commonwealth title last October has defended the belt with three straight stoppages.
All of this could be bad news for English titlist Danny McIntosh, 10-0 (4), but the 29 year old from Norwich hasn’t been the least bit impressed with Cleverly during the media build up to this greatly anticipated contest.
While Cleverly is more experienced, McIntosh hasn’t done bad over just 10 bouts, stopping Steve Spartacus for the vacant English title last October and handling the ever difficult Matthew Barney in February before the former British super middle titlist was disqualified in the fifth.
All this means nothing of course once things kick off in the ring between the undefeated light heavyweights but if Cleverly truly is the new Welsh Wizard then he should win this bout by keeping the arguably stronger McIntosh on the outside and the target of jabs and combinations.
But if McIntosh can cut down the distance and make Cleverly trade in the trenches, the result could become different and we will find out just how good each man’s chin really is.
