Cleverly set for Karpency defence

Nathan Cleverly is undefeated in 23 fights given his 2005 veteran debut

Nathan Cleverly is to urge his WBO inter-continental light heavyweight pretension opposite Tommy Karpency on his Welsh ‘homecoming’ on 25 February.

Cleverly’s quarrel with a 25-year-old American in Cardiff will be a initial time that he has shielded his WBO pretension in his local Wales.

Cleverly’s upholder Frank Warren gave WBA champ Beibut Shumenov and WBC champ Bernard Hopkins a joint shot.

But Shumenov “would not be ready” and Hopkins has his Chad Dawson rematch.

“Karpency looks like a tough fighter,” pronounced Cleverly.

“He took Karo Murat a stretch final year and Murat gave me a tough fight.”

Having degraded Aleksy Kuziemski and Tony Bellew, a 24-year-old Welshman’s third pretension counterclaim during a Motorpoint Arena will be his initial quarrel in Wales given violence Joey Vegas on points in Nov 2007.

That was on a undercard of Joe Calzaghe’s win over Mikkel Kessler and, given then, Cleverly has fought in London, Liverpool, Las Vegas and Swindon – though he is now looking brazen to his sixth hitch in a Welsh capital.

“This is my initial quarrel in Cardiff for a prolonged time,” pronounced Cleverly. “I’m looking brazen to putting on a good uncover for my fans opposite Karpency.

“My lapse has combined a large seductiveness in Wales and it’s going to be a illusory acquire home on 25 Feb during a Motorpoint Arena.

“I’ve lerned over Christmas and I’m in good figure already and we’re still over 7 weeks divided from a fight, so I’ll be mark on come quarrel night.

“I’ve got large skeleton for this year that we wish will embody a joint fight, so I’ve got to keep bustling and kick Karpency in style.”

Karpency, ranked series 11 by a World Boxing Association, has 21 wins from 24 fights, including 14 knock-outs.

But a Pennsylvania warrior mislaid to Murat for a WBO inter-continental light heavyweight belt in May 2010 and has fought only once since, a initial turn knockout of journeyman Andre Hemphill in Feb 2011.

Warren reliable his offer to Cleverly of a strife with Shumenov and American good Hopkins in a press recover released on Tuesday.

“An offer went to WBA title-holder Beibut Shumenov to face Cleverly,” pronounced a Warren statement. “But he pronounced he would not be prepared in time, nonetheless it could occur after this year.

“WBC champion Bernard Hopkins was also sent an offer, though Hopkins has a stirring rematch with Chad Dawson.”

The Welshman insists that a strife with one of a division’s “big boys” will not occur until a finish of 2012.

“Hopefully I’ll get to a large joint fights towards a finish of 2012 opposite a likes of Hopkins and Dawson,” combined Cleverly. “That’s my goal. They are large names in a division.”