By Ben Jacobs

Rematches are often needed in boxing if the first fight was close or if there was an unsatisfactory ending.  In the case of Nathan Cleverly (28-1, 14 KOs) and Tony Bellew (22-2-1, 14 KOs) who first clashed in October, 2011, the fight was so entertaining and close that the rematch was inevitable once the two men moved up a division to cruiserweight.  Both fighters suffered heavy losses in their final bouts at light heavyweight against two of the hardest punchers in the sport in Sergey Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson respectively.  Nevertheless, they have both looked good since changing weight classes and the rematch is eagerly anticipated.  BoxingScene had the opportunity to talk to Cleverly as he prepares to face his arch-rival on November 22.

BoxingScene:  Nathan, you seem to be enjoying the build up to this fight, at least that's the impression I got from your appearance Sky Sports' Ringside show the other week.

Nathan Cleverly:  I have enjoyed it, at the end of the day it's the boxing business and there's bravado in the build up to a fight so there's a part of you that learns to enjoy it.  It would be a shame to not enjoy those moments and waste them, or let them become a burden so I have enjoyed the build up.  It's real.  That's another thing, when it's real emotion, it's easier.

BoxingScene:  It's clear that Tony Bellew does not like you at all, could you use that to your advantage in the fight?

Nathan Cleverly:  Possibly.  I think it's fair to say that he hates me and wants to hurt me real bad! There's going to be an element of him in the fight in that he'll try extra hard and maybe get carried away.  So I could use that to my advantage, use a bit of experience and let that become a positive for me and use it against him.  It's very possible in front of his own crowd that he could get carried away and let slip, so I'll be looking to capitalise.

BoxingScene:  It seems from the outside that although you don't like him either, you don't seem to take it quite as personal.  Is that an accurate comment?

Nathan Cleverly:  On my behalf it's a professional thing, it's part of the business, a grudge match where a few things have been said and it makes for a great grudge rivalry.  He takes it very personal, he hates me for factors inside boxing and outside boxing but the real reason he hates me is because I'm his big rival.  I had the titles he wants, I prevented him from being the number one light heavyweight at one stage and that's the real reason.  I dislike him, I dislike the way he looks, the way he talks.  He's got a big mouth so you could say I dislike him as a fighter and as a person.

BoxingScene:  Do you think either of you have changed as fighters since the first encounter?

Nathan Cleverly:  I think we're both the same fighters, our styles haven't changed dramatically but I think at cruiserweight we will both be better, we'll have more energy, and we're bigger.  It'll be a similar version of the first fight but a more explosive version, something has to give.  I just can't see it going 12 rounds.

BoxingScene:  On the face-off clip which was shown by Sky, Bellew said he thinks about you every hour of the day.  What do you feel about that?

Nathan Cleverly:  I told him to his face, I'm glad I'm so important in his life that he thinks about me every minute of every day.  It's a bit over the top, I definitely don't think about him that much.  There are times throughout the day when he crosses my mind to keep that fire burning, to keep me training hard and focused.  But he's not important to take over my waking thoughts. Obviously I'm in his thoughts and he wants revenge and I'm going to deny him that opportunity, he doesn't deserve it.  I can't allow such a horrible guy to get that.

BoxingScene:  You had a fair bit of criticism during your WBO title reign, did you feel that was unfair looking back?

Nathan Cleverly:  At the time people would get on my case about the level of opposition but when you look back now I was 24 years of age.  I beat Karo Murat who was undefeated at the time and he later became mandatory challenger for Bernard Hopkins.  I defeated Nadjib Mohammedi who was an awkward fighter at the time and is now mandatory challenger for the IBF title.  I defeated Aleksy Kuziemski on the night I won the world title who the fight afterwards took Jean Pascal 12 rounds and I took him out in four rounds.  Then I beat Tommy Karpency who has recently beaten Chad Dawson, so that's a list of four fighters there who have gone on to achieve good things in the sport.  Obviously I've beat Tony Bellew once who is now trying to make waves in the cruiserweight division so my résumé was underrated at the time, but it's gained a lot of substance of late.

BoxingScene:  You're going back to fight in Liverpool again, did the fight have to be there for it to happen?

Nathan Cleverly:  I first agreed to Sheffield, Eddie Hearn came up with the neutral venue in Sheffield but apparently Bellew was sulking about that, he wanted it in Liverpool.  He denies that he was sulking but I got told by good sources that he was sulking, so I know that's a fact. Obviously Kell Brook got injured so the only other option was Liverpool and I've got no problem going there.  It's been done before and it'll be done again.

BoxingScene:  How about your training, do you feel better at the weight now that you've had two fights?

Nathan Cleverly:  All round I feel good at this weight, I feel fresh, reinvigorated.  I feel sharp at the weight, also my strength has increased with a bit more muscle mass, so I'm developing nicely into the weight.  I'm in a happy place here in the cruiserweight division.

BoxingScene:  Are you allowing yourself to look ahead and think about winning a world title again?

Nathan Cleverly:  That's my ambition, to become a two weight world champion, that would be an incredible achievement.  First and foremost this is the gateway to that.  Bellew's in my way at the moment, he takes priority and I'm 100% focused on him.

BoxingScene:  The general view is that if you win it will be on points and if Bellew wins it will be by knockout.  But do you also feel you can stop him?

Nathan Cleverly:  That's the general consensus but we're both cruiserweights now, we're both bigger guys and anything can happen at this weight.  I'm punching harder, he's punching harder, I just think my style can potentially break him down and make him wilt, bust him up, that way I can take him out.  He seems to think he can take me out with one punch, so that's what makes for an interesting fight.