Froch v Cleverly - Will 2012 see the return of the Great British dust up!?

2011 saw British fighters travel far and wide for success, with varying degrees of success. 2012, however, offers something potentially mouthwatering. A great British dust up!

Carl Froch (28-2) is in search of a road back, Nathan Cleverly (23-0) a significant step forward.

Coming off the back of a fairly comprehensive defeat in the Super Six Final and staring his 35th birthday in the face, Carl Froch want's a big fight to bring him back. With almost 3 years and 7 (yes seven) bouts against world class opposition, no one could begrudge him a 'breather' in the form of a lesser foe in his own backyard. But this isn't in the nature of the man. Bute looks to be off (showtime having refused it apparently), Kessler is still up in the air with regards his hands and his pending fight with Stieglitz, so where does that leave The Cobra?

Enter Nathan Cleverly

The 24 year old Math's graduate holds a WBO title at 175 lbs, but has come in for some criticism over the standard of his opposition of late. With a pending bout with little known Tommy Karpency in February a seeming W waiting to happen and smatterings of fight talk between the camps on the internet (Clev himself said today he would take it), could we be in for an all British dust up in the summer?

It would be youth against experience and could sell out in any city you chose to host it. Froch would get the homecoming fight he so deserves and Cleverly, the opportunity to test his serious talent against a fighter that matters.

It's been many years since the days of Eubank, Watson and Benn. This could be just the fight to arouse the publics interest.

So if Warren and Cleverly are serious, and Froch doesn't mind adding the 8 pounds, then we may well get one for the fans. Here's hoping!

So, who would you have and why?

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Sean I think Cleverly would win a stinker...He's much bigger and besides Froch is not getting any younger and the way he was found out makes me think Warren thinks he's on the slide!!!

He obviously wants to get one over Hearn and raise Clev's PR!! ...and sees the smaller Froch as the ticket like the ordinary past-it Katsidis was for the Scottish guy Burns in months past!!!

Froch can't stop Cleverly at 175..is too small..too slow and for me I wouldn't give Warren the satisfaction!!!

Warren doesn't like taking risks! Hope it doesn't happen..

I actually fancy it would be close as Clev throws alot of shots and has fast hands. Froch can't cope with speed and his would diminish even further if he were to step up

Seanusarrilius wrote:Thoughts?

Froch would win this. Would rather Cleverly fight Enzo in the summer at a Cardiff City Stadium be a good scrap for us Welsh

After that would like to see Clev take on one of the big boys

Froch should just take the Bute fight he will make more money off it anyway

Yeah Frochs power gets neutralised by Clevs movement and chin; he took some great shots off Bellew and did not flinch

Both fighters have a simular style but the fact Froch is about 10 years older and been in with much better opposition I would back him to pick up a points decision if the fight was this year on experience alone

Clev is younger, fresher, quicker, busier, has height and reach advantages..takes a good shot..probably weighs around 185 on fight night!!

How does Froch win at 175..??

Im suprised at how many of you are backing Clev to be honest. Froch was most peoples number 1 ranked fighter from the Isles before the Ward fight where as people thought Clev didnt look that good against Bellew (which I agree he didnt)

If he sticks his chin out at Froch he might get beaten but it might turn out to be a surprising performance. However - I have been criticizing him for Karpency - if he does fight him then fair play to him. If its a bluff, then **** ****** ****** ***** *****.

Hagler was most people's no 1.. but no one thought he could take Spinks..

Froch would win handily enough for me. Seems like a cheap publicity soundbite from Warren when it looks like Froch will be tied up with Bute this year.

Hold your breath. Froch looks set to fight Bute next:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/16490231.stm

manos de piedra wrote:Froch would win handily enough for me. Seems like a cheap publicity soundbite from Warren when it looks like Froch will be tied up with Bute this year.

Don't share this opinion and actually think it would be close. Froch is a better boxer but Clev has the better engine and better physicality. Froch doesn't fight well on the back foot and Clev would be pushing him back all night. Both Kessler and Ward have proven he's not that good going backwards.

Besides.....Froch has shown little appetite for fighting at Light Heavyweight. He said on an interview on ESB that if he won Super 6 he'd want Hopkins at a catchweight ffs!

I have a nasy feeling that Froch will end up like a Glen Johnson type fighter where he'll be paid handsomely to go to his opponents back yard to lose.

Right Boony......Froch sleep walks too much and by the time he has to knock him out..would find he hasn't the power...

Well he drew vs bellew IMO and bellew isn't anything on froch. Froch sparred bellew and I heard somewhere that although competitive it was fairly one sided for Carl. Carl should take the fight as should win comfortably. Clev doesn't have a lot of power in his punches and tries to accumulate enough damage to take his opponent out. Froch will be happy to get into a war as if the polish guy can hurt clev, froch can. He maybe slower but still has the stamina as he finished the stronger vs ward.

Ward is a p4p star, nothing to be ashamed about and he has a lot more speed, skill and defensive awareness than clev. Clev has a reputation for having a rock solid chin but none of his opponents have ever had punchers records. He's a bum basher with a lot f potential but froch could beat most top fighters in the 168 + 175 divisions

Surely both fighters stand better chance of making more money by other options this year anyway

Cleverly with the all Welsh clash and Froch with the home and away Bute setup

bellew is a natural cruiser...

WHU_Champo_League_in_7Yrs wrote:He's a bum basher

Dont think so. Cleverly has a very nice looking girlfriend il have you know

Super D Boon wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:Froch would win handily enough for me. Seems like a cheap publicity soundbite from Warren when it looks like Froch will be tied up with Bute this year.

Don't share this opinion and actually think it would be close. Froch is a better boxer but Clev has the better engine and better physicality. Froch doesn't fight well on the back foot and Clev would be pushing him back all night. Both Kessler and Ward have proven he's not that good going backwards.

Bellew and Mohamadi have proven Clev isnt that good full stop in my view. Froch has been mixing it with top fighters way above what Cleverly has been facing. Hes come up short on occasion and Cleverly might have a better engine, but not many other advantages. His best bet, as you say, would be to try and outwork or outhustle Froch but I think Froch deals with that ok from someone of Cleverlys current ability. Froch by 4/5 rounds for me.

Froch all day every day and twice on Sunday.

It's all moot anyway and won't happen.

Froch is scared of the bigger men as proven by his ridiculous idea that his fight with Hopkins would need to be at a catchweight and Warren is gonna shout Froch, Dawson, Cloud for Cleverley's next three fights after Karpency and deliver Binmanov, Janitorov and Postmansky instead.

Thinl a lot of people on here don't like the fact Clev is a Warren fighter and are biased...

Apart from the over-rated experience he has nothing in his corner at all..........

Imagine on fight night Cleverly would be 10 pounds heavier....If he can take Bellew's punch he can certainly take the 35 year old Frochs..

froch would win comfortably for me. cleverly has struggled against much weaker opposition and has shown hes not ready for world class opposition yet. besides it would never happen, its just more name dropping by cleverly to get himself headlines. karpency, then another duff fight before enzo macc in his big fight of the year. its funny really

Super D Boon wrote:It's all moot anyway and won't happen.

Froch is scared of the bigger men as proven by his ridiculous idea that his fight with Hopkins would need to be at a catchweight and Warren is gonna shout Froch, Dawson, Cloud for Cleverley's next three fights after Karpency and deliver Binmanov, Janitorov and Postmansky instead.

So wanting to fight the great Bernard Hopkins at a catchweight proves he's scared of the bigger men including Cleverly, what absolute tosh.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Thinl a lot of people on here don't like the fact Clev is a Warren fighter and are biased...

Apart from the over-rated experience he has nothing in his corner at all..........

Imagine on fight night Cleverly would be 10 pounds heavier....If he can take Bellew's punch he can certainly take the 35 year old Frochs..

Truss...keep this up and me and you are gonna get on great in 2012

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Thinl a lot of people on here don't like the fact Clev is a Warren fighter and are biased...

Apart from the over-rated experience he has nothing in his corner at all..........

Imagine on fight night Cleverly would be 10 pounds heavier....If he can take Bellew's punch he can certainly take the 35 year old Frochs..

Cleverly doesn't have the ability to go with his size though Truss, he's an accident waiting to happen, think Warren is well aware that Froch has his sights on tougher opposition so it's all conjecture.

Froch is too small, slow and sometimes ponderous to beat him..Workrate isn't good enough....

Lack of power clinches it at 175....For me Clev looks big enough to fight at cruiser....

Hey it's all about opinions...

Anyway going home to watch my adopted..beloved Man.City trash Liverpool..

Froch hasn't got world class power at Super Middleweight so don't see that being an issue, anyone who is troubled by Tony Bellew gets the floor wiped with them by Froch i'm afraid Truss.

I reckon Froch would beat Hopkins who is too old and should retire.

Tbh I would not like to see Froch v Cleverly. Froch should destroy the stay at home fighter Bute and take his belt and then concentrate on a rematch with Ward. He was not at his best in the last fight but the judges still had it close. Froch himself said that he was not at his best and that he believes he could win a rematch. I think he knows where he went wrong. He did not use the jab enough and did not put his shots together well enough. Credit to Ward he is a good fighter who is unbeaten but he has not tested himself broad yet so giving froch a rematch in Britain would prove he is a true champ and not a stay at home fighter. Hopefully Froch can win with a better gameplan he made too many mistakes last time out.

Cleverly is still learning I reckon he should forget about Froch who would beat him he should fight Shumenov in the summer or maybe Hopkins but Hopkins might not fancy it there is too much risk against Cleverly and not enough money I do no not think Hopkins would want to take the risk.

You don't half talk some rubbish.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:You don't half talk some rubbish.

lol all you do is insult people. You dont have to respond to my posts it is just my opinion I do not expect everyone to agree with me.

Play nicely IG

Waingro wrote:

Imperial Ghosty wrote:You don't half talk some rubbish.

lol all you do is insult people. You dont have to respond to my posts it is just my opinion I do not expect everyone to agree with me.

It's the boundless cliches in every single post of yours, do you only have five words in your repertoire?

Sorry, I know Froch was beaten by Ward and comfortably so but I am shocked at the amount of people that think Clev beats him. Clev barely beat Bellew, stunk in his last couple before that, has no power at all. He has a great engine and decent whiskers, but he is no Calzaghe for hand speed. Froch is not tiny either and has a long reach.

Froch beats Clev comfortably in my books at the mo

There's absolutely no way Warren's going to put Clev in with Froch.

Not until he knows he'll win anyway.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:You don't half talk some rubbish.

Pots and kettles..........

Cleverly has to get past Tommy Kerpency yet, would be foolish to look beyond that because it has the look of a potential banana skin to me.

rowley wrote:Cleverly has to get past Tommy Kerpency yet, would be foolish to look beyond that because it has the look of a potential banana skin to me.

Got my tickets either way

Your loyalty is admirable Steffan, getting mine for Brook tomorrow, got to support your local boys haven't you?

rowley wrote:Your loyalty is admirable Steffan, getting mine for Brook tomorrow, got to support your local boys haven't you?

Agreed. While Karpency is not the opponent even your hardcore Cleverly fan would like to see, its still a good bill from a Welsh point of view with Selby and now Maccarinelli on the card. Plus I havnt been to see any live boxing for a while so me and the bro will have a good night plus a few jars in Cardiff afterwards

Is that in tbhe Traders Tavern next to the Mortorpoint? I always quite liked that pub in a disgusted and appalled kind of a way.

Super D Boon wrote:Is that in tbhe Traders Tavern next to the Mortorpoint? I always quite liked that pub in a disgusted and appalled kind of a way.

Nah my brother always preferes to go to the Fantasy Lounge or For Your Eyes Only although I think he is banned from FYEO as he grabbed one of the girls last time and got thrown out

Super D Boon wrote:It's all moot anyway and won't happen.

Froch is scared of the bigger men as proven by his ridiculous idea that his fight with Hopkins would need to be at a catchweight and Warren is gonna shout Froch, Dawson, Cloud for Cleverley's next three fights after Karpency and deliver Binmanov, Janitorov and Postmansky instead.

spot on

Froch all day and Im a cleverly fan.

Hopkins does not want to fight Froch or Cleverly it is too much risk and not not enough money Hopkins knows he is old now and he wants a pay day. He want Calzaghe to come out of retirement so they can have a rematch but I dont think he deserves a rematch after all his fouling and faking low blows in their last fight Calzaghe was starting to outclass him so Hopkins had to use dirty tricks and hold alot.Calzaghe should stay retired if he is smart he might be tempted for a big money fight but he should stay retired now no point coming back it would be a mistake imo.

Waingro wrote:Hopkins does not want to fight Froch or Cleverly it is too much risk and not not enough money Hopkins knows he is old now and he wants a pay day. He want Calzaghe to come out of retirement so they can have a rematch but I dont think he deserves a rematch after all his fouling and faking low blows in their last fight Calzaghe was starting to outclass him so Hopkins had to use dirty tricks and hold alot.Calzaghe should stay retired if he is smart he might be tempted for a big money fight but he should stay retired now no point coming back it would be a mistake imo.

i would say cleverly is no risk at all to be honest. calzaghe found it tough against hopkins and cleverly has the exact style but far less speed ring know how. easy win for hopkins. froch would be a decent fight but i dont see how he could take it on after bad mouthing joe for fighting him

Lance wrote:froch would be a decent fight but i dont see how he could take it on after bad mouthing joe for fighting him

Exactly but thats Froch all over he got not class as a person so he would take this fight and if he beat Hopkins say "I beat Hopkins better than Calzaghe did...come on Joe dont be scared to come and fight me bla bla bla"

Steffan how long ago was the last time he called Calzaghe out...?

AlexHuckerby wrote:Steffan how long ago was the last time he called Calzaghe out...?

Last summer in Essex at a Ward promo