Cleverly deserves respect

No more credit than any other boxer gets for stepping into a ring, no.

 

He's going in with the most dangerous guy in the division?

 

And? Is he not being paid very well to do so?

I don't see why he deserves more credit than anyone else who boxes professionally.

 

Good point.The man he beat to win the title wasn't anywhere near,but as has been pointed out,thats not his fault.Thought Bellew shaded him,but it was in Tonys backyard,and he's done well himself beating Chilemba.If he gets past this one,Id like to see him take Braemer,in Cardiff,and then he can call himself the best before taking on the Bellew/Stevenson winner.Dont think his manager wants Braemer,though.

 

So you agree they do deserve credit?

 

No more than anyone who goes to work and does their job well.

 

Yes he's being paid very nicely for a world title fight in his hometown. Exactly what a boxer wants from his promoter.

 

Cleverly throws a lot of punches, but his punches couldn't break an egg. Kovalev also throws a lot of punches, but his punches are extremely hard, he knows how to cut the ring off, knows how to box, Kovalev can hurt Cleverly, but Cleverly can't hurt Kovalev. He will walk right through Cleverly's punches and knock him out. I actually like Cleverly. Hopkins refused to fight Kovalev, so did all the others, but Cleverly stepped up and took the challenge. Kovalev stopped Campillo easily, yet Campillo was not only a former champion, he easily outboxed Cloud. Campillo knows how to box and Kovalev easily stopped him..................

 

The fight hasnt even happened yet, people deserving respect for signing contracts lol

 

That's the point. Cleverly is there to be hit. If he wants any chance of winning this fight, something has to change. Kovalev clearly has fight\career ending hitting power.

 

Stupid post. No sportsman at the top of his game picking up good money should receive any credit, according to this cretinous rationale.

 

It wouldn't send out a huge message because Kovalev doesn't have a deep record to fall back on. He could still be a johnny come lately. Hopkins, Pascal etc have a record of wins and losses against good opposition, which gives them credibility.

This isn't to say Kovalev is rubbish but it's a fight Cleverly doesn't need. Every fight is a banana skin but yet he hasn't mixed in the right sort of company yet. It's his fault and his promoters for managing him so poorly. He's now becoming a long term champion who hasn't fought anyone of note.

An easy win gives the impression Kovalev is rubbish, a hard win could hurt Cleverlys standing or make people believe Kovalev is better than he is. All of these things would be based on opinions but what isn't based on opinions is when a fighter like Hopkins or Pascal has mixed in top company many times so no matter whether it is a win, loss, blowout, hard fight etc then we know what they bring to the party so...

...yes Hopkins who is the IBF champ and Pascal who was recently the WBC champ.

Shumenov is not necessarily a big name but its a big fight because it's a unification bout which helps Cleverly to at least claim that 50% of the division is under his rule.