Boxing Spotlight: Nathan Cleverly

The ultra-competitive British scene has given birth to some of the more popular and successful boxers on the world stage in recent years but with Joe Calzaghe calling it quits recently and Ricky Hatton possibly nearing the end of his incredible career, a new pack of British fighters hope to replace these icons.

While David Haye is the most successful of the ‘new breed’, there is one light heavyweight in particular who could be ready to move above domestic level: Nathan Cleverly.

A few days shy of his 22nd birthday, the Welshman stands atop the 12 stone 5 division in Britain, firmly in control after defeating Tony Oakey for the Commonwealth crown last October as British Champion Dean Francis has expressing the desire to move up to cruiserweight and Clinton Woods is once again in position to challenge for the IBF title at the tail end of his own career.

Friday night at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon, England was a good case in point as Cleverly made the second defence of his Commonwealth Light Heavyweight title against Kenyan slugger Samson Onyango in what would turn out to be another masterful performance from the young Cefn Fforest man.

A smiling Cleverly entered the ring wearing a blue bandana with the name ʽClevʼ printed on it and continued to grin while stood in the ring!

Admitting heʼd be ʽdisappointed not to get a stoppageʼ, Cleverly gets straight to work, whipping out the straight left and right. He lands two snappy straight rights in succession to the face of Onyango in the first minute of the round.

Onyango starts to throw left and rights, but he isnʼt as ʽsharpʼ as the Welshman and as Onyango throws an uppercut, Cleverly lands a left to the body. ʽClevʼ lands another left to the body and the African immediately covers up – tucking in as heʼs backed in to the corner.

Cleverly keeps up the attack, landing two more big rights to the body and Onyango sinks to his knees, holding his left side and is counted out.

Cleverly wins by TKO at 2:15 of round one, improving to 15-0 (5).

It was also a quick night’s work for local man Jamie Cox, as he faced Jason ʽThe Rocketʼ Rushton of Doncaster in a scheduled eight round light middleweight contest.

Southpaw Cox goes for a variety of punches from the start, finding success with the body-shot while a tentative Rushton keeps a high defence. In the closing seconds of the first round, Cox offloads a barrage of shots while Rushton is backed in to the corner.

Unable to get out, Rushton tries to keep a tight defence but seeing a gap, Cox lands a peach of a right hook to the face of the Doncaster man and he drops to his knees.

Getting up for the count, Rushton rubs his left eye and referee Grant Wallis calls a stop to the contest despite Rushtonsʼ protestations.

Cox wins by stoppage at 2:56 of round one, improving to 10-0 (6).

Home boy Marlon Reid faced Sherman Alleyne of Bedford in a four round super middleweight contest.

Round one sees Alleyne finding himself on the canvas in the opening seconds, but it was more of a shove from Reid as they were told to break by the referee.

Alleyne tries to close the distance by lunging in with shots while taller Reid tries to keep the distance and use a long-reaching jab. Itʼs a difficult start for Alleyne, who keeps up a high defence.

Midway through round two, Reid steps across to land a clubbing right hand to Alleyneʽs face. Clearly ʽappreciating his own shotʼ, Reid grins and nods at his opponent as if to say ʽwhat did you think of that beauty?ʼ

He does the same ʽmoveʼ later in the round and follows it up with a barrage of shots and Alleyne jumps back to get out of Reid’s range. Alleyne’s nose is bloody as he goes back to his corner at the end of the second frame.

The third round starts off messy then Reid lands with some good straight punches which just nick the face of Alleyne, then a big right uppercut sends Alleyne to the canvas midway through the round. He gets up from the count to continue, but Alleyne’s corner threw in the towel before they could continue boxing.

Reid wins by TKO at 1:43 of round three.