CLEVERLY AFTER PREMIER LEAGUE HOPKINS

WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly believes a super-fight against new IBF king Bernard Hopkins will tie-in with Cardiff City’s promotion to the Premier League.

The 25-year-old was excited to read quotes from the American legend saying that he wants to fight him in the UK and sees him as a threat to any of the elite 175lb fighters in the division.

And Cleverly, a big Bluebirds fans and a schoolboy trialist for the club, is also eagerly anticipating Cardiff City’s return to top-flight football for the first time since 1962.

He makes the fifth defence of his title against mandatory challenger Robin Krasniqi on Saturday 20th April at Wembley Arena, live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546) and then has another mandatory defence against Juergen Braehmer, but wants Hopkins straight after.

“Cardiff City are destined for the Premier League, barring any slip ups, and they’ll be facing the elite teams next season. I’ve got to get through Krasniqi and Braehmer first and then I can face my premier league of champions starting with Hopkins,” Said Cleverly.

“It’s an exciting time for Welsh sport, Cardiff City entering top-flight and Wales winning the Six-Nations and me doing the business on the world scene defending my title, it can only get better and better”.

“It’s great to read what Hopkins has been saying about me, he’s the ultimate warrior and doesn’t shy from any challenge. You saw how he schooled Tavoris Cloud last month to break his own record to become the oldest world champion in history. He wants to fight me so I say lets get it on, it would be an honour to share the ring with him and I’d love the challenge of beating a legend”.

Cleverly v Krasniqi headlines an action-packed card that also features Liam Walsh’s WBO European Lightweight title defence against former Two-Time World Champion Scott Harrison, plus the return of Dereck Chisora and some of Britain’s best up and coming talents.