This time next week, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, Nathan Cleverly will put his world title prospects on the line.
The Welsh fighter, a former WBO light heavyweight champion with a record that reads 29-2 with 15 of those wins coming by knockout, will be stepping into the ring to face on the highly rated Andrzej Fonfara.
Fonfara, rated #2 by the WBA and #3 by the WBC, has a record that reads 27-3 with 16 wins coming by way of knockout.
In agreeing to face the big-punching Fonfara, Cleverly opted out of the chance to take on the WBA lightweight champion Juergen Braehmer, a fight many believe gives Cleverly his best chance of becoming a world champion.
Talking about his decision to go down the route he has chosen to, Cleverly is quoted as having remarked,
?Initially, I was all set on the Braehmer fight but I thought long and hard about the Fonfara option for a few days and I drifted towards that.
?He?s more of a dangerous opponent and he hasn?t got the world title but it?s in the big market in America. Thought if I can overcome Fonfara in this tough fight then I?m in the big league then.?
Or on the scrapheap!
There?s no doubt that this fight is a hugely dangerous one for the Welsh fighter, can he come through it unscathed or will it be time to call it a day?
Big League or Scrapheap for Cleverly?
