Cleverly

[CFH]

I still don't see what the fuss is about Cleverly. He has never fought anyone who poses even a slight challenge to him and has not looked all that impressive even in many of those fights. He has little power and no defence - he'll be exposed when he starts to step up in class. He might beat a 9,000 year old Hopkins (has this fight been made?) who throws more headbutts than punches these days, but I'm not certain he will.

Maybe he could give Bute, a crack at his title,

While I'm no fan of Bute, he would destroy Cleverly.

Cleverly is approaching Bute territory in terms of his level of opposition, though Bute probably fought better competition through 25 fights.

I don't think so, Bute has no chin I have seen Cleverly box as a 16 year old, he was good then, winning
a Welsh ABA title, I've seen plenty of Champs in my time,and he's got what it takes it very rare I'm
WRONG.

Bute has a decent chin, he just has no defence. He took a million flush shots from Froch before he went down and Cleverly has nowhere near the power that Froch does.

You are wrong there, Bute is a bit like Khan on top fighter with a poor chin, Cleverly has a GOOD chin,
when he hit's them right he hurts them, his fitness and work rate are a major factor.
Nathan will out work a plodder like Hopkins, he will set a pace in a fight which his opponents don't
match. Again if Calzaghe RATE'S him you take a bit of notice, I remember him stopping a lad, from
my son's old club, in the first round, looking back he was a bit special.

Bute has a chin, if he didn't the Froch fight would have been over in the first or second round. He's not Margarito, but he's not Khan either.

Cleverly has been hurting nobodies by accumulation, nothing more. He won't be able to land at will on a decent fighter and, even with his output, will end up eating more shots than he lands because he has no defence. If he doesn't vastly improve his defence, he is not going to get anywhere against anyone with a pulse.

[Gandalf]

Cleverly has a lot of potential and I like what I see. He is cracking fun to watch and it doesn't matter if he isn't the hardest puncher in the world. He has a superb output, can vary his approach and in some respects reminds me of Calzaghe. Though Calzaghe had more nous and much better footwork. As a work in progress though, Cleverly should improve and I have high expectations for him. A high output fighter is Froch's nightmare and I would give Cleverly a fair shot of beating Froch a few fights from now. Bute is done, Cleverly beats him convincingly IMO. You cannot be gunshy against Cleverly.

I have high hopes for him. I loved what I saw in his last fight and have been catching up on You Tube.