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Cleverly vows to unify division within 18 months

Nathan Cleverly is targeting Bernard Hopkins

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Nathan Cleverly has vowed to unify the light-heavyweight division within 18 months after snapping Karo Murat's unbeaten record on Saturday in a final eliminator for the WBO title.

After Cleverly outclassed Murat in a brutal dust-up, winning via a tenth-round stoppage, he now finds himself as the No. 1 contender for Juergen Braehmer's strap.

The undefeated 23-year-old is pencilled in to face Braehmer on December 11 - but the fight is at risk of cancellation as the German has an assault conviction hanging over his head.

If the Braehmer bout does not materialise, Cleverly insists that he can emulate his hero Joe Calzaghe by getting the better of the legendary Bernard Hopkins. As well as Hopkins, he is keen to overcome WBC king Jean Pascal - who Carl Froch beat in a classic in 2008 - and former IBO champion Chad Dawson.

"I can [now] concentrate 100 per cent on my aim to unify the division," he said. "I've not seen anything in Braehmer to worry me. After that I want the likes of Chad Dawson, Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins. I can win all the titles in 18 months if everything goes to plan."

Elsewhere, promoter Frank Warren has confirmed that he is targeting a bout between British heavyweight champion Derek Chisora and Nikolai Valuev, the former WBA title-holder. "He would do a job on Nikolai Valuev," Warren said. "In fact, I will be having talks with Wilfried Sauerland [the Russian's promoter] this week."

A victory over Valuev would give a huge boost to Chisora's reputation - and put him in line for an all-British clash against the winner of the battle between David Haye and Audley Harrison, which takes place in November.

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