Boxing Preview: Jeurgen Braehmer v Nathan Cleverly

Later this week British boxing fans get a fantastic card which is topped off with a brilliant looking WBO Light Heavyweight clash between German Juergen Braehmer and Welshman Nathan Cleverly. The bout is seen as the biggest test in the unbeaten Cleverly's career and for Braehmer it's a chance to show how good his really is outside of his homeland.

Cleverly, boasting a record of 21-0 (10) is one of Britain's rising young stars and has stepped up through the levels quickly as he's followed in the footsteps of Joe Calzaghe. He has so far won British, Commonwealth and European titles as well as the WBO “interim” Light Heavyweight title that he hope will become the real title after facing Braehmer.

Cleverly, 24, is the younger man entering the ring though he's also the fresher man, he is a fighter who has got good fundamental skills, good hand speed and a great work rate. His flaws however are really in his head, he often seems hot headed and too happy to have a tear up rather than box. Whilst it's his aggressive nature that has made him fun to watch you can't help but think he should go back to boxing rather than fighting if he wishes to beat the best in the world. He doesn't have the power that will really discourage opponents from taking one to land one, and this could be a big worry against a fighter with power. Outside of the ring Cleverly is really intelligent, really bright guy though in the ring he often seems a little immature and easily frustrated which could be a problem in this bout.

Braehmer is more experienced with a record of 36-2 (29) and he is certainly the hard hitter of the two men, though at 32 he's arguably on the slide and he has been inactive in recent years. Despite fighting 4 times in 2009 he's had the last year or so on the side-lines as illness and legal problems have plagued his career. Like Cleverly Braehmer took the right steps on his way to the title by winning the European title on his way to the top. Unlike cleverly however Braehmer has twice suffered the feeling of a loss, he was out worked and out manoeuvred by Mario Veit and then simply out worked by the under-rated Hugo Hernan Garay before winning a world title.

Braehmer was a top amateur though has long failed to show the same skills he had in the unpaid ranks. The amateur skills, if they are still there, means that he's got the ability to box with the best of them, though he's not really shown that level of skill in a while. Fighting from a southpaw stance he is a noted power-puncher and has stopped 4 of his last 5 bouts early though he has questionable work rate and against Garay he was shown to not have the best tank (Garay stormed the last half of the bout to win). He will also be fighting in the UK, only the second time he's left his Germany to fight and this will certainly play into the hands of Cleverly. The big questions regard Braehmer are how will the ring rust effect him and how will fighting in the UK effect him?

The fight it's self could go one of two ways. The Cleverly way would be revert to his boxing, fight at range he's taller and rangier than the German and so using his reach and height he should be able to outbox Braehmer and can certainly out work him. If he saw the recent Andre Ward v Arthur Abraham fight or Daniel Geale v Sebastian Sylvester fight then he should use those as his plans to fight from. Lots of work, safe distance and don't get involve in a slugfest. If however Cleverly gives away his advantages, which he has done in the past, the rock hard German will relish the bout as he's certainly the tougher man and the harder hitter. If Cleverly elects to go toe-to-toe he will get caught and hurt by Breahmer's straight left which is a real danger punch to a right hander like Cleverly. The bout will almost certainly be the biggest test of Cleverly's career, both athletically and mentally, Cleverly will have to use his head to win this bout as going toe-to-toe will result in him getting stopped. Sadly I feel he'll revert to fighting rather than boxing and Braehmer will stop him around the middle rounds of the bout.

Also on the card is the bout between James DeGale and George Groves and Frankie Gavin facing off against Young Mutley and Olympian Billy Joe Saunders is also on the card.

Video below thanks to JoeKoBoxing