MMA Fight! Magazine: Cleverly ready for new chapter

Friday, 8 November 2013

Cleverly ready for new chapter

Last Updated: November 5, 2013 5:43pm

Nathan Cleverly says stepping up to cruiserweight was inevitableNathan Cleverly believes his loss to Sergey Kovalev may be a blessing in disguise as he prepares for a new chapter in his career when he challenges Daniel Ammann for the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight title on November 30.

Cleverly’s future had been shrouded in uncertainty after he lost his WBO light-heavyweight title to Kovalev in August, the only blemish on his 27-fight professional career.

And the Welshman insists moving up to cruiserweight was always on the cards as he bids to become a two-time world champion.

“I didn’t have the same snap or the same fire as I did in my early days at light heavyweight,” he said. “I felt the weight was a big factor for me, but I kept winning, I was World Champion at light heavyweight and I kept winning, so there was no trigger point for me to move up to cruiserweight.

“But the loss, that was the trigger point. It’s happened, it’s a blessing in disguise and now I will become a world champion at cruiserweight.

“It was an inevitable process really, because I’m still young and naturally growing, so it was only a matter of time before moving up a weight.

“I’m loving the new challenge of starting from the bottom. I feel comfortable now mentally, and physically too.

“If you’re a happy fighter you go to war, and it’s going to increase your performance definitely.

“So it’s a new chapter for me, chapter two in my career. We’re straight in at title level, and I’d assume that towards the back-end of 2014 we could be looking at a world title shot.”

The 26-year-old also said he is seriously considering recruiting a new trainer but revealed his father Vince, who has trained him for the duration of his career, will always remain involved as part of his team.

“It was partly my idea but partly my dad’s too,” Cleverly said. “It’s just about looking at who can bring out the best in me.

“That’s a research process really, who can improve on maybe weaknesses in my game.”I’ll always have my dad involved, definitely: all the hard work is done really.

“The foundation work is there so it’s just fine tuning now.”