NATHAN CLEVERLY vs. SERGEY KOVALEV (Site) 

Description : Here we have an original Frank Warren & Main Events promotional boxing poster for the WBO world light heavywieght championship title bout held at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardif, Wales on Saturday 17th August 2013.

Nathan Cleverlys reign as WBO light heavyweight champion came to a devastating end on Saturday night after 29 seconds of the fourth round at Cardiffs Motorpoint Arena. Cleverly had long spoken of wanting to truly test himself against a proven world contender and this was his chance but, just as with most of Sergey Kovalevs victims before him, he was stopped with less than 12 minutes gone.

In previous fights Cleverly has often taken unnecessary punches sometimes lazily knowing that his punch resistance could be relied upon but on Saturday night, and against Kovalev, the reality is that was not nearly the case. If the opening round was close and it was one Kovalev appeared to edge on work rate it gave the Welshman reason to be confident if he could take the fight down the stretch. His punches were crisper and cleaner, he was the better mover and he made Kovalev miss, but as so often in the fight game it was one exchange that changed both the atmosphere and the direction the action was to take.

The second round was a better one for the Russian, even as he suffered a cut over the right eye. Cleverly would have acknowledged that and potentially targeted it as the fight went on his greatest chance came in forcing Kovalev to go the distance and maintaining his typically high, often unrivaled, work rate but 'The Krusher' refused to be flustered and briefly appeared to have hurt Cleverly with a combination when backing him up against the ropes.

What came next was regardless harder to predict. Cleverly had never before been down in his career and its one that has been and most likely will continue to be full of bravado. The fights pattern continued for the opening of the third until a potent left-right combination from Kovalev rocked the Welshman in a way that hasnt been seen before and a flurry from the challenger then forced him to take a knee.

The look on his face told the story: the champion knew he was in trouble and was in uncharted territory having never been down before. He rose to his feet to continue but hadnt recovered and the biggest crisis of his career instantly followed. Kovalev sensed the finish was near and he rightly relentlessly sought it. Within a flurry another right hand to the top of Cleverlys head forced him to again take a knee and in reality he was lucky to see the end of the round. All Cleverly could do was hold on to his opponent and listen in desperation for the bell. Another combination left referee Terry OConnor on the brink of intervening and while the Welshman again somehow managed to hold on, Kovalev broke free and resumed beating his opponent in a way that almost routinely calls for a fight to be waved.

Few fighters have ever been so fortunate to survive such a one-sided round: Cleverly knew it, Kovalev knew it and OConnor whose arm appeared to be beginning to wave the violent affair over when the bell to end the third round rang also knew it.
The world champion had a minute to clear his head, reassess his approach to the fight and attempt to regain some confidence but it was never going to be enough.
Almost as soon as the fourth began Cleverly was again in trouble having not recovered from the beating he had taken and he had nothing to offer when the end came. He was trying only to survive and with him repeatedly taking Kovalevs concussive punches and almost certainly in the knowledge that he was so close to ending it in the third OConnor was after 29 seconds forced to wave for the end of the fight, Cleverlys undefeated record, and reign as WBO light heavyweight champion.

These posters were never made available for public consumption, they were only made available to outlets with connections to the promotion.

Postage: 10.00 Special Delivery... 20.00 International registered signed 4 airmail.