Cruiserweight

There is legitimate beef between Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly. To put it plain, these two cruiserweights simply don't like each other. On Saturday night from Echo Arena in Liverpool, Cleverly and Bellew will renew acquaintances.

They first met in 2011, and Cleverly won a disputed majority decision when the two fighters competed at light heavyweight. Since then, Bellew has been chased from the ranks of 175-pounders by Adonis Stevenson, and Sergey Kovalev ushered Cleverly up a weight class.

The 190-pound division is devoid of a signature champion, and both Bellew and Cleverly would like to claim that distinction. The winner of the rematch could be in line to challenge for a world title. It should be a great day of fights in the UK because this card is stacked with most of the biggest names from the country in action.

Scott Quigg defends his WBA title against Hidenori Otake, George Groves fights Denis Douglin, James DeGale scraps with Marco Antonio Periban, and heavyweight sensation Anthony Joshua faces Michael Sprott.

Here's the viewing information for the card.

When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. GMT)

Where: Echo Arena in Liverpool

TV: Sky Box Office

Live Stream: BoxNation (subscription required and region restricted)

The Book on Bellew

When it comes to athleticism, Bellew seems to know he can't match Cleverly. However, it appears he believes he has a toughness advantage over the 27-year-old from Wales. Bellew had some choice words for Cleverly per Sky Sports. The 31-year-old, who hails from Liverpool, said this about his opponent:

One minute he's retiring, one minute he's the best athlete in the world, one minute he can't be knocked out and in the next phrase he says: 'If he hits me, he is the stronger man and can knock me out and someone's got to go.' He contradicts himself constantly so he's just a strange cat to be real and that's the fact of the matter.

Bellew has often tried to get inside the heads of his opponents. He tried this approach against Stevenson, but it didn't sway the bout in his favor.

Still, it seems the mind games are part of his strategy. He also brings solid fundamentals and a durable chin. Stevenson is the only opponent who has ever stopped Bellew. 

Cleverly is not known for his punching prowess, and Bellew will likely have little regard for Cleverly's power. Bellew has reinvigorated his career as a cruiserweight. He's 2-0 since moving up to the weight class, and he's stopped both opponents he's faced.

Most recently, Bellew scored a TKO win over Julio Cesar Dos Santos in July. That bout also took place at the Echo Arena, which is becoming a second home for Bellew. Saturday's bout will be the 10th he's fought in the arena, and he's 8-1-1 in those bouts (including the loss to Cleverly in 2011).

Can Bellew protect his house against Cleverly this time?

The Book on Cleverly

After he was taken apart by Kovalev in Aug. 2013, it seemed as if Cleverly might retire from the sport. He'd run into the type of opponent who makes a fighter question whether he can compete at the highest level.

No matter how many times Cleverly faced Kovalev, the result would probably be the same—a one-sided KO defeat. The best thing Cleverly could do if he was going to continue his career was to move up to cruiserweight. Like Bellew, Cleverly is 2-0 since making the move.

He has also shown a bit more power at 190 pounds. His two wins have come inside of four rounds against Shawn Corbin and Alejandro Emilio Valori. Is Cleverly suddenly a power puncher? No, he isn't. Corbin and Valori have been stopped a combined nine times in their careers.

In addition, neither man is regarded as a top contender. Corbin is a 39-year-old underachiever, and Valori is a 32-year-old latecomer to the sport who turned pro at 26. We can hardly say that stopping these two opponents warrants praise of Cleverly's power.

There is, however, no questioning his boxing acumen. Cleverly's jab, movement and accuracy are all very good. It's what he used to earn a decision victory over Bellew in the first fight.

There is reason to wonder what he'll do if he finds himself in with another rough-and-tumble opponent with the power to hurt him.

Since losing to Kovalev, his desire hasn't been tested in the ring during a prize fight. Something tells me it will be Saturday.

Cleverly sounds like a man ready for the confrontation. Per BBC Sport, he said:

I strongly dislike him [Bellew]. I wouldn't say I hate the guy - I don't want to waste that emotion on him. The way he talks is very disrespectful. He's got a big mouth. He's a bully boy. He's a big guy, he's got a big mouth and he tries to intimidate people. My ambition is to go to his backyard and bully the bully boy.

Who will put up or shut up?

Prediction

I'm just not convinced Cleverly has it in him to fight at a high level anymore. Some losses break a fighter, and I think that's what the Kovalev defeat did to Cleverly.

Bellew is the type of opponent who will not only push Cleverly physically with heavy hands and a large frame (6'3" to Cleverly's 6'1.5") but will also attack his emotions. In the end, Bellew will wear him down—physically and mentally—and stop him late.

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On Saturday night, WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck outpointed Mirko Larghetti on his way to a unanimous-decision victory in his adopted home of Germany. The win tied Johnny Nelson's record for most consecutive defenses of the title at 13.

Per BoxRec.com, Huck was the victor on all three scorecards, 118-110, 116-112, 116-112. 

At the very end of the bout, Huck landed a hard right hand that put Larghetti on the mat. The Italian seemed to be out, but the shot was ruled to have come after the bell, and the fight instead went to the cards. It's possible that officials could have looked to penalize Huck for what was obviously ruled to be a late punch, but no penalty was given.

Early on in the action, Huck's activity and punching accuracy gave Larghetti issues. The champion came out looking to make a statement, and he easily captured the first three rounds. 

From the fourth round on, Larghetti made adjustments that at the very least made the bout competitive. The challenger showed himself to be more than a tomato can placed in front of the champion for the sole purpose of playing his role in Huck's record-tying victory.

Seeing Huck as the winner wasn't preposterous, but the 118-110 scorecard was puzzling. It seems as if the champion may have been given the benefit of the doubt on the cards—and some home cooking—after a strong start.

Proof that Huck didn't believe his lead was as secure as it was lies in the fact that he continued to attack late in the fight and pursued the finish in the final round.

Often criticized for his unwillingness to travel outside of Germany to fight, Huck didn't gain much respect with this win. In fact, Nelson, who now works for Sky Sports in the U.K., wasn't exactly complimentary of the man who just tied his record.

This sentiment matches the tone of comments Nelson made prior to the fight. Per British Boxers, the 47-year-old who hasn't fought since 2005 says he could beat Huck with six months of training.

Part of that claim is rooted in boxers' seemingly eternal competitiveness and attachments to their accomplishments, but there's also some validity to it. 

Huck hasn't fought outside of Germany in seven years, and he's never competed in the United States. That would explain why he's one of the lesser-known champions in the sport.

Still, his run of wins is impressive despite the competition. If he does take on Tony Bellew in his next bout, it could be an entertaining scrap. Bellew has been in the ring with some of the best light heavyweights in the world. He recently made the jump to cruiserweight where he might have a better shot at winning a world championship.

As for Larghetti, he made a good account of himself and could possibly do even better in a rematch. Unfortunately for him, he has as much of a chance at that as we do of seeing Huck fight anywhere but Germany.

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Marco Huck's name doesn't come up when most fight fans mention the pound-for-pound best, but few champions have been as consistent as Huck in the last seven years. On Saturday, August 30, from Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Huck will attempt to defend his WBO cruiserweight title against Mirko Larghetti.

If Huck is successful, it will be his 13th straight defense, which would tie a record.

Huck has lost just one fight since 2007, and that came in a brief attempt at the heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin in 2012.

In that fight, Huck made a good account of himself but lost by majority decision. How can a fighter with such a solid record and a world title be scrapping in relative obscurity as it pertains to American fight fans?

It's because Huck has fought outside of Germany just twice in his career and never in the United States. That's not a formula for worldwide appeal.

Larghetti is undefeated, but the 31-year-old Italian hasn't had experience against top-notch fighters in his weight class. Huck figures to be a significant step up in competition. Like Huck, Larghetti rarely fights outside of his home country.

Because Huck is the champion, Larghetti is bracing for a significant road trip into hostile territory.

Chasing History

The record for most title defenses by a cruiserweight champion is 13, and it's held by Johnny Nelson.

If Huck defeats Larghetti on Saturday, he will equal the record. Based on his pre-fight comments, one might think the 29-year-old German, by way of Serbia, is a bit overconfident. 

Per Boxing Scene, Huck said this of Nelson and Larghetti's chances of thwarting his plan to make history:

Nelson was an exceptional athlete who did not back down from any challenge. I am no different. His style of fighting was not the most spectacular but it was successful. It is an honor to get the chance to equal his record. But in contrast to Nelson, I will not struggle against an Italian in my thirteenth defense. My aim is to beat Larghetti first, then Nelson’s record!’

Along the way, Huck has taken on all comers—at least those willing to travel to Germany to fight him—and he's even given the likes of Firat Arslan and Ola Afolabi rematches after disputed decisions.

Huck has been a fighting champion, even if he's more of a local one.

Looking to Seize the Moment

Initially, the bout was scheduled for March 29, but it was cancelled and later rescheduled after Huck broke his thumb.

The announcement came just over two weeks before Huck and Larghetti were set to compete. A late change like that can impact the training of a fighter. Perhaps it most significantly affects the non-injured fighter.

Larghetti was presumably ready to go on March 29, so to have the fight cancelled and not rescheduled until August is a big deal.

He did take a keep-busy bout with Attila Palko in June. The Italian won that one easily in the second round. Still, Palko is no Huck, and the intensity wasn't likely the same as it will be on Saturday.

Will Larghetti be able to seize the moment after dealing with the cancellation? 

Prediction

Larghetti is a boxer-puncher with slick skills and decent footwork. While he wouldn't be described as a big puncher, he does possess the power to make his opponents respect him.

That said, against a tough guy like Huck, Larghetti doesn't figure to have more pop than anyone else the champion has faced.

Huck's greatest attribute is his stamina. Despite the fact that he's an active fighter, he has as deep of a gas tank as any cruiserweight you'll find.

Late in fights, he usually outworks opponents and stacks rounds in the second half of the bout. Because Larghetti has only gone 12 rounds once in his career, his stamina is a question mark, whereas Huck's is not.

Couple that with the overall edge in experience, and Huck should win this fight by decision.

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It's a fight that few (if any) boxing fans may have asked for, but Roy Jones Jr. was determined to win it.

Jones defeated Courtney Fry in Riga, Latvia on Saturday via technical knockout, forcing the journeyman to quit on his stool after Jones knocked him down at the end of the fifth round with a stinging left hook.

The fight was a ragged affair essentially dominated by the American superstar. Jones moves his record to 58-8 (41 KOs), while Fry drops to 18-6 (6 KOs).

Jones came into this cruiserweight fight with some confidence, winning three straight bouts over no-name opponents. By some observers' estimations, he hasn't proved much by fighting into his later years. His last truly high-profile bout was a loss to the ageless Bernard Hopkins in 2010.

Saturday's fight began slowly, with neither puncher willing to stand and trade blows or open himself up to a possible counter. The first two rounds featured more whiffs than connections, although Jones stepped up his aggressiveness in the third round and landed a couple of solid left hooks and combinations on Fry's jaw.

The issue was clear from the beginning: Both fighters lacked speed and telegraphed their punches, making it relatively easy to bob and weave to avoid any crushing (or even glancing) blows.

Jones definitely had the faster hands, allowing him to make headway with left jabs and follow up with his right before Fry could move out of the way. Of course, this only happened when Jones really dug in, which wasn't often in the first three rounds.

Fry showed a willingness to trade blows in the fifth, which only allowed Jones to use his superior hand speed to work the body. Jones then knocked down Fry with a stinging left hook just before the end of the round, drawing cheers from the relatively demure crowd in Latvia. Fry got back up, but he was clearly dazed.

Jones had opened up a cut on Fry's forehead earlier in the fight, and the Englishman decided he couldn't fight on any longer, affording Jones a victory via TKO. Jones celebrated the victory by entertaining the fans with a rendition of his single, "Can't Be Touched."

Fortunately for the health of everyone involved in the sport, there's no old-timers division for aging pugilists. On the other hand, there appears to be little oversight, as it's up to each fighter to decide when he will hang up the gloves and exit the ring for the last time.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix feared for Jones' future after this victory:

There were calls before the match for Jones to give up fighting, but the middle-aged prizefighter wasn't hearing it.

"You do think about it but it's hard to leave when you know you still got it. I know I still got it," he told ESPN's Dan Rafael prior to the fight.

Marvin Jones of the Oakland Press gave his thoughts on Jones and James "Lights Out" Toney—who was slated to fight Evgeny Orlov on the undercard—before the fight:

Perhaps Jones and Toney, who’ve each had pretty good paydays, are both in financial straits. Or perhaps they both love to fight so much that they can’t do without it — as long as there’s a promoter who’ll sign them up. Either way, this can’t end in a good way for both fighters—unless they stop themselves. And apparently, that’s easier said than done ... even 20 years later.

However, it's difficult to dissuade any athlete who engages in individualistic pursuits for a living. When the bell rings, it's just you against the world on a lonely expanse of canvas—the trainers in your corner well out of sight and out of mind. This is especially true for a fighter like Jones, who dominated the 1990s and is considered by many to be one of the all-time, pound-for-pound great punchers.

With another victory under his belt, expect Jones to chase 60 wins. This benchmark could be what keeps the HBO analyst going at his advanced age. He's no Archie Moore or Bernard Hopkins, but Jones won't quit until he decides he's good and ready. 

Roy Jones Jr. is fighting again. This is not a joke, although it probably should be. The former pound-for-pound king and future Hall of Famer is set to take on Courtney Fry on Saturday in Latvia at 1 p.m. ET in a farcical cruiserweight bout.

The German WBU cruiserweight title that Jones Jr. picked up in his last fight, a win over Zine Eddine Benmakhlouf, is at stake. The 45-year-old Jones Jr. is about 15 years removed from his prime, but he fights on. 

At least this time he is fighting a man somewhat close to his age. Fry is 39 years old and not considered much of a major threat. Per Odds Shark, Jones Jr. is listed as a minus-625 favorite to win the bout. 

The bout isn't televised, but organizers are expecting 10,000-plus in attendance, according to Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool Echo. Jones Jr. supporters could argue that he should continue to fight if he is still able to draw this type of crowd, win and earn a fat check.

There are several answers to that, but the most prominent might be a reminder that he should think about his health and the embarrassing decline of his once-amazing in-ring skills.

Why Is He Doing This?

That is a question perhaps only Jones Jr. can answer. Jerry Steinberg of Vavel summed up Jones Jr.'s pugilistic predicament:

RJ epitomizes everything that is right and wrong in the sport of boxing through his dual careers. At its best, it showcases a skill level, fierce competitive spirit, and excitement few sports can match. At its worst, boxing allows over the hill prizefighters to step in to ring and risk much more than damaging the aesthetics of the sport.

Even Sugar Ray Leonard, another boxing great who fought too long, is fishing for thoughts on the fight.

Jones Jr. has nothing left to prove. He's already one of the greatest fighters who ever lived. He's clearly among the best three or four in his era. You could make the argument that he was the best of the 1990s. His speed, power, charisma and in-ring IQ were a marvel to watch in his prime.

If you were a Jones Jr. fan in the 1990s, you were probably hoping you'd never see the day when he'd be fighting a 39-year-old journeyman cruiserweight in Latvia. Unfortunately, this is the reality.

Jones Jr. told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael that he wants to become a cruiserweight champion. Blame former rival Bernard Hopkins, the ageless wonder, for that. The 49-year-old Hopkins is the IBF and WBA light heavyweight champion.

The difference is this: Hopkins is an alien, but Jones is just an old fighter who can't let go.

Just Happy To Be Here

Fry's biggest impediment in the fight might not be dealing with what's left of Jones Jr.'s vaunted hand speed. Before Fry can tackle the physical challenge of facing Jones, he must first fight off being starstruck.

Per Kirkbride, Fry said, "People have been stopping me in the street and asking ‘are you really fighting Roy Jones?' They can’t believe it. I can’t believe it although in about seven weeks time, I will need to start believing it.”

That's pretty accurate. Though Fry was an Olympian in 2000, he has never faced an opponent with even half as much notoriety and presence as Jones Jr. 

As crazy as it might sound, Fry will have to guard against being swallowed by the moment.

Prediction

There's almost a feeling of guilt with this prediction, but Jones Jr. will likely win. Why the grief-filled prediction? Because as long as he wins, he'll keep fighting. When he finally does lose again, it could be harmful, and that's no fun to think about.

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Nathan Cleverly (26-1, 12 KO) is back in the sport of boxing. After a crushing fourth-round TKO defeat at the hands of Sergey Kovalev in Aug. 2013, Cleverly took time away.

He's moving up to cruiserweight to take on Guyana's Sean Corbin (17-4, 12 KO) for the vacant WBC intercontinental title on Saturday from the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.

Like Cleverly, Corbin has spent the majority of his career at light heavyweight, but this will be his sixth fight at cruiserweight.

The bout is part of an exciting card filled with British boxing stars. Lee Selby, Gavin Rees and Gary Buckland will also be in action on Saturday night.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is pushing the comeback story of Cleverly as one of the primary draws for the card.

Here's how you can watch.

When: Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales

TV: Sky Sports

Live Stream: AWE

The Book on Cleverly

Once looked at as a future superstar in the sport at light heavyweight, Cleverly was humbled by Kovalev in his last bout. From the opening bell, Kovalev not only proved to be the superior fighter, but he also seemed to be hungrier, more aggressive and better equipped with a fighter's mentality.

Cleverly had never faced such adversity in the ring before, and quite honestly, he didn't handle it well.

The loss nearly broke him. Per BBC Sport, Cleverly pondered retirement afterward. The cruiserweight division is a bit more mild than light heavyweight, where fighters like Kovalev, Adonis Stevenson and Bernard Hopkins hold titles.

It could symbolize an easier route to stardom for Cleverly.

Tony Bellew, a previous Cleverly rival, has already taken his talents to the division. The two Brits had an entertaining and spirited scrap back in 2011. There's seemingly always been a market for a rematch.

Per Hearn's column in the Daily Mail, Cleverly simply needs to beat Corbin and win again in July to secure that bout.

Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool Echo even has the date for the rematch with Bellew.

Cleverly is beaming with confidence about that potential second meeting with Bellew, per Behind the Gloves:

One could accuse Cleverly of looking beyond Corbin. While it's great to allow fans to know what bouts are lined up for popular fighters, there's a concern as to whether that prompts guys to get complacent with the task at hand.

Coming off the loss Cleverly suffered to Kovalev, complacency is the last thing he needs.

The Book on Corbin

The biggest issue for Corbin has been his weak chin. He's been stopped four times in his relatively short career. Is it a physical weakness, a stamina problem or a lack of experience?

At 39 years old, you'd think he would have more than 21 fights, but he didn't begin his professional career until he was 26. He also had a three-year layoff after his first professional bout.

Corbin has great height at 6'3", but he tends to square up too often. He presents too big of a target to hit and doesn't employ enough head movement. You can almost bet these deficiencies were seen in the tape of Corbin by Cleverly and his team.

It looks as if Corbin could be easy pickings for a man looking to re-establish his confidence and momentum. Corbin's manager Lystra Cudjoe insists her fighter is prepared for the challenge. Per Mark Pouchet of the Trinidad Express Newspapers, Cudjoe said:

We have been monitoring the press releases from the Cleverly camp and he is struggling to get up to the cruiserweight level (200 lbs) as we all know he used to fight at 175 pounds and he is barely getting to the 200. Sean is already at 200 and staying steady. He (Corbin ) is a lot stronger and prepared for this fight.

Corbin should be more comfortable at the weight considering he's been competing there since 2012. But will that be enough to help him pull off an upset?

Prediction

Corbin's length and athleticism could pose Cleverly some issues early. Also, Cleverly isn't the type of devastating puncher that should be able to expose Corbin's chin. That's especially the case with Clev coming up from 175 pounds.

That said, Corbin is still too easy to hit. While Cleverly may not have the pop to stop Corbin, he does have the boxing skills to hit him at will.

Look for the lead left hook to do some damage for Cleverly. He should win a comfortable decision in his return to the ring.

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The much-anticipated rematch between WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev and Guillermo "El Jefe" Jones was cancelled after the challenger tested positive for a banned substance.

WBA Vice President Gilberto Mendoza tweeted this at 3:09 p.m. ET:

There was initially talk that the fight would continue on as a non-title bout. 

But after further discussion, it was cancelled.

This is the second time a Jones-Lebedev bout has been tainted by a positive drug test.

Per Gabriel F. Cordero of Fight News, Jones tested positive for Furosemide. This is the same substance that was found in the 41-year-old Jones' system before their first bout in May 2013.

Jones defeated Lebedev by KO in their brutal first encounter. Lebedev's right eye was left a grotesque mess from the damage Jones did with jabs and hard straight hands.

Because of Jones' positive drug test before the first fight, it was ruled that Lebedev would remain the champion. A rematch was ordered, but now that apparently won't happen.

It is unclear what these new developments mean for a future meeting, or for Jones' career moving forward.

This may mark an unfortunate end to a cruiserweight rivalry that fans never got an opportunity to see take its natural course.

At such an advanced age, this is a potentially career-ending setback for Jones. Furosemide is often used to allow fighters to shed weight, per Steroid.com, to fit into a weight region they can't make naturally.

It can also be used as a masking agent for steroids, per Doping Prevention.

In either case, it doesn't paint a positive picture for Jones today or in the future.

Where he goes from here is anyone's guess. 

Lebedev can likely move on to the next chapter in his career. But he may have to live with never being able to avenge a very tough loss.

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