Cleverly vs Francis

[robpalmer135]

this fight is being talked up, britsh and commnwelth champs, both fighting tomorow night.

personally i dont see it happen. ****** is building a decent name in cleverly and francis is ranked in the top 5 by the WBO (somehow). i rate francis and cleverly, think both have the ability/potential to be a belt holder.

what would happen if they meet this year?

[box-now]

I think at this stage Francis would stop Cleverly late on.

[robpalmer135]

whats the deal with francis anyway, was he a real good prospect a few years ago?

[Strike]

whats the deal with francis anyway, was he a real good prospect a few years ago?

Yes he looked quality years back. He was at Super Middle and were it not for a string of shoulder injuries I have no doubt he would have been a world champion.
He was the only man to stop David Starie, which both Calzaghe and Reid failed to do, and he had good hand speed, a nice jab and true KO power.

Real waste of talent, but most of it not his fault, you can't do much about being injury prone.

[robpalmer135]

yeh injuries are why he hasnt fought since june.

[alba]

clev only seems to be fighting blown up super middleweights from africa,look ath therre records and you will see .

[Bodysnatcher]

clev only seems to be fighting blown up super middleweights from africa,look ath therre records and you will see .

Frank ****** trying to beef up that unimpressive KO ratio I reckon.

[dwilson]

Clev likes fighting afrobums. Shame Oakey got the fight at short notice, sure it would have done both fighters alot more service if Oakey had had time to prepar and come in in decent shape.

At the moment I would pick Francis to stop Clev pretty easy. rancis still shows glimpses of pure quality even though his arm is fucked. Clev may become an ok domestic fighter but he is not at the level his title warrants.

[debaser]

Cleverly's a future world champion lads mark my words! Ok his power although getting better is never gonna be his strongest attribute but he is a skilled chap. As for the opponents, we all know Frank ******'s style, it's a shame that he nabs all the decent young prospects.

[dwilson]

Cleverly's a future world champion lads mark my words! Ok his power although getting better is never gonna be his strongest attribute but he is a skilled chap. As for the opponents, we all know Frank ******'s style, it's a shame that he nabs all the decent young prospects.


I doubt he will even get to WBU standard. He has only beaten duds and very late notice subs from Africa. Oakey deserves a rematch with a decent amount of time to get himself fit.

[debaser]

I doubt he will even get to WBU standard. He has only beaten duds and very late notice subs from Africa. Oakey deserves a rematch with a decent amount of time to get himself fit.

Why what was Oakey's problem the first time? He already holds a more prestigious belt than the WBU.

[SteelTownCobra]

Cleverly has only had 14 fights, yes 14, and he's just managed to win a belt, yet some people are pulling his record apart and questioning the standard of his opponents.

Unbelievable.

[dwilson]

Why what was Oakey's problem the first time? He already holds a more prestigious belt than the WBU.


He came in as a late sub if I remember right and looked totaly out of shape even compared to how he looks this week in preparation for his prizefighter spot. Oakey had also just lost his belt and should not have been back in a ring so quick. But like you said ****** knows what he is doing and got his young talented fighter the right fight at the right time to make him look good but not to test him. The Commonwealth belt was once a good belt but recently it has dropped so low it makes most boxing fans cringe. Most of the champs are guys who are not good enough to compete for a genuine domestic belt and the opponents put in place are usually also rans from way down the domestic rankings or un heard of poor afrobums. Even the English title at light heavy carries more inportance at the moment and we can see 8 guys in the next prizefighter tourny that are better equiped to challenge for the belt than the guys Clev has been and will be facing.

[debaser]

Cleverly has only had 14 fights, yes 14, and he's just managed to win a belt, yet some people are pulling his record apart and questioning the standard of his opponents.

Unbelievable.

Typical British mentality mate. We pull apart our most exciting prospects as well as our world champions. Sad but true.

[debaser]

He came in as a late sub if I remember right and looked totaly out of shape even compared to how he looks this week in preparation for his prizefighter spot. Oakey had also just lost his belt and should not have been back in a ring so quick. But like you said ****** knows what he is doing and got his young talented fighter the right fight at the right time to make him look good but not to test him. The Commonwealth belt was once a good belt but recently it has dropped so low it makes most boxing fans cringe. Most of the champs are guys who are not good enough to compete for a genuine domestic belt and the opponents put in place are usually also rans from way down the domestic rankings or un heard of poor afrobums. Even the English title at light heavy carries more inportance at the moment and we can see 8 guys in the next prizefighter tourny that are better equiped to challenge for the belt than the guys Clev has been and will be facing.

Fair enough mate, you're entitled to your opinion, but I strongly disagree. Time will tell who's right/wrong.

[GazOC]

Yes he looked quality years back. He was at Super Middle and were it not for a string of shoulder injuries I have no doubt he would have been a world champion.
He was the only man to stop David Starie, which both Calzaghe and Reid failed to do, and he had good hand speed, a nice jab and true KO power.

Real waste of talent, but most of it not his fault, you can't do much about being injury prone.

He also spent a couple of his "prime" years in prison.

[dwilson]

Not saying that Clev is not a great prospect but he has a very long way to go before he can claim to be world title potential. I pulled apart his record because he is a Commonwealth belt holder. That used to mean something once but not with afrobum after afrobum lined up against you when he could face quite a few decent tests from Britain and obviously the commonwealth.

I would still not like him fighting such opponents if he was not a belt holder. With his potential and the stage of career he is being booked at he deserves better tests. Put him in with guys like Fry, Barney, JJ O juederie, Bellew, and Francis so he can earn the hype. Untill he starts fighting decent oppents he will alway get resentment.

[nicofly]

If last nights performances are anything to go by Cleverly would rip Francis a new arsehole.

I think Francis's best days are well behind him. He did well to come back from the brink of defeat agaist Tony Oakey in his last fight but to be fair Oakey was poor in that fight throwing everything at him and never connecting with anything.


Francis has some work to do to get back down to light heavy and I cant see that happeningor a fight between the two ever taking place.

Think the Welsh kid is talented and exciting. That fight showed us nothing new about him but he is young, got fast hands quick and is developing a bit of power.

Think he could do very well if he keeps progressing as he his.

[jc]

I think Cleverley is fighting at the right level he is only 21 and only at 15 bouts as of last night, he is right to knock over a couple of afro bums.

I think Francis would be a good fight for him, thats the one they should aim for.

[doug.ie]

well..you can forget francis after last nights showing....as for cleverly..i enjoy watching him, and you can't knock an unbeaten record..but even last night, i saw a shaky defence..the samson fella landed on his chin early in the round before folding himself...
i think cleverly is a good work in progress...but stick him in at this stage with a top world class light heavy and he'll be damaged badly..

[icemax]

well..you can forget francis after last nights showing....as for cleverly..i enjoy watching him, and you can't knock an unbeaten record..but even last night, i saw a shaky defence..the samson fella landed on his chin early in the round before folding himself...
i think cleverly is a good work in progress...but stick him in at this stage with a top world class light heavy and he'll be damaged badly..

Good points. I always worry about fighters who are trained by their dads, to step up Cleverley needs to get a top notch trainer.

[box-now]

I doubt Cleverly will ever be a world champion, he looks good fighting guy's who look like they have been kidnapped of the street's of Africa handed a pair of gloves and told "fall over when hit", his power is awful he cant manage a KO against British journey men so ****** is bringing over these poor example's of boxers for him to look good against, I also think he has chin problems and will get KO'd himself the first decent fighter he goes in with, and that fucking stupid grin and head nodding on his way to the ring Francis will smash him.