Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Cleverly confident for Bellew rematch

While most of the boxing world’s attention is on Macau this weekend for Manny Pacquiao’s welterweight title defense against Chris Algieri, there’s also a big show at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.

That stacked card is topped by the cruiserweight rematch between former light heavyweight titlist Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew, whom Cleverly barely outpointed in a 2011 title defense.

Now they meet again Saturday (AWE, 1 p.m. ET in the U.S., Sky Box Office pay-per-view in the U.K.), once again at the Echo Arena in Bellew’s hometown.

Cleverly, of Wales, eventually lost his world title in a one-sided fourth-round shellacking by Sergey Kovalev in August 2013, moved up in weight and has won two fights in a row heading into the rematch with Bellew, who got another title shot against Adonis Stevenson last November, got crushed in six one-sided rounds and also moved up in weight. He, too, has won two bouts in a row going into the grudge rematch with Cleverly, who is very, very confident he will win again.

“A lot of people have him as the favorite because he’s the naturally bigger guy,” Cleverly said on Sky Sports’ build-up show "Behind The Ropes." “He is heavy handed, apparently, so they think that is too much of a jump for me, and it is a big jump. I’m up against it, but I am confident. I know my own body. I know what I can do. Mentally and physically, I know my limits, and I know that I can beat this guy at cruiserweight. I feel comfortable, strong, sharp and fit. I’ll beat this guy.

“I’ve got too many strengths, and I’ll bring everything I’ve learned from the lighter divisions up to cruiserweight. I’ll bring the speed, I’ll bring the stamina. He can bring his power. I’ve already tested it, and I’ve taken it with ease. It will be no different at cruiserweight.”

Cleverly (28-1, 14 KOs) and Bellew (22-2-1, 14 KOs) have shown a great distaste for each other going back to before they met for the first time.

“We just clash,” Cleverly said. “At the end of the day, I am a winner and in the first press conference I was world champion and he came in with this attitude. I was sat at the table and he kind of looked at me and said something and he got under my skin straight away. More importantly we both delivered on the night. I delivered a good, solid performance and Tony Bellew gave it everything. He threw the kitchen sink at me that night, that was his big chance and it made for an excellent fight.”

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