Cruiserweight

Cleverly cancels cruiserweight debut

ESPN staff

November 26, 2013

Nathan Cleverly lost his WBO light-heavyweight title to Sergey Kovalev in August © Getty Images

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Nathan Cleverly has called off his cruiserweight debut after a back injury suffered in training ruled him out of Saturday's title fight against Daniel Ammann.

Cleverly, 26, was due to fight Australian Ammann for the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight title at London's Copper Box.

"It's a bitter blow as training had been going so well, and I was looking forward to making my debut at cruiserweight," Cleverly said. "For it to only happen a week before the fight is even more devastating. I just want to get this year out of the way and enter 2014 with a clean slate and get my career back on track."

Cleverly defended his WBO light heavyweight title successfully on five occasions before Sergey Kovalev went to Wales and was dominant in a fourth-round knockout victory on August 17.

When Cleverly was getting set for his return, he announced that he would move up to the 200-pound cruiserweight division.

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