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Krasniqi my ticket to Hopkins - Cleverly

Nathan Cleverly knows what he has to do to land a fight with Bernard Hopkins © Getty Images

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Nathan Cleverly says he is hoping to "win in style" against Robin Krasniqi to prove he is ready for a unification fight with American veteran Bernard Hopkins.

Cleverly will make the fourth defence of his WBO light-heavyweight title against Krasniqi at the Royal Albert Hall on April 28 after the WBO agreed to sanction the fight.

In the same evening Hopkins puts his WBC belt on the line in a rematch with Chad Dawson, with Cleverly's promoter Frank Warren ready and waiting to lure the 47-year-old over to Wales for a summer showdown against his charge.

And Cleverly, yet to taste defeat in 24 pro contests, believes he is nearly at the level required to follow in the footsteps of fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe and beat The Executioner.

He told the Sun: "It would be a dream to get Hopkins and I'm really buzzing with all the talk about fighting him. I will be ready for it by the summer. If a chance comes up I will grab it with both hands and I reckon I could win."

First and foremost Cleverly needs to get past Germany-based Serbian Krasniqi - a former WBO European champion who has won 37 of 39 bouts - and Cleverly is well aware of the challenge immediately in front of him.

Cleverly added: "I've got to be at my best against Krasniqi. I've got to win in style to prove I'm ready to challenge Hopkins."

Meanwhile, British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves, who pulled out of his March fight with Kenny Anderson due to injury, will challenge for a world title in only his 15th pro bout when he tackles WBO super-middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz on May 5.

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