NATHAN CLEVERLY vs COURTNEY FRY

Nathan Cleverly won the vacant British light-heavyweight title in July, and he make a quick first defence on Friday against Courtney Fry at London's York Hall, with Sky televising.

Cleverly was much too good for the willing but inexperienced Danny McIntosh when he won the title with a seventh-round stoppage. Fry is a much more difficult proposition, and although Cleverly is the clear favourite this is the unbeaten Welsh boxer’s sternest test since he outpointed tough veteran Tony Oakey to become Commonwealth champion a year ago.

Fry, 34, has had only 15 professional bouts but he was a vastly experienced amateur at the international-class level. The Liverpool-based Fry was a three-time English national champion, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and boxed in the Olympics and world championships.

In 1999 Fry lost gamely to David Haye in one of Britain’s most eagerly awaited amateur bouts in years. It seems that Fry landed some good right hands, but Haye was too powerful for him and the referee intervened in the third round.

Fry turned pro late, and in Britain his career is seen as one of promise unfulfilled. His ability is respected but there is the sense that Fry has failed to live up to his potential. Still, he has lost only twice — a close and debatable points loss to underrated Ovill McKenzie and a unanimous points defeat against Tony Oakey after a three-round war in February’s Prizefighter light-heavyweight tournament semifinals.

Cleverly, though, looks a class above the rest of the light-heavy crop in the U.K. He has matured in the year since his unanimous decision win over Oakey and seems to be physically stronger and punching harder than was the case 12 months ago. Cleverly’s left hook underneath is particularly impressive and at the age of 22, and after 17 bouts, he is emerging as a boxer-puncher to be reckoned with at the higher level.

I don’t necessarily see this a last throw of the dice for Fry. He can still be British champion if Cleverly moves on — as expected — to bigger things. I do think that Fry is in a tough place on Friday, though. Cleverly is younger, bigger, stronger and surely the heavier puncher, while he is just as fast as Fry.

Although Fry has a lovely left jab and hits sharply with the right hand — he blew out the unbeaten southpaw prospect Tony Salam with a perfectly timed right — I see him as outgunned in this fight. He might be able to box evenly with Cleverly for a while, and his left jab can give the younger man problems, but I think that Cleverly will begin to break through eventually with his hooks to the body and head and the straight right hands behind his own stylish jab. Fry could find himself being forced into the sort of fight where he has to make a stand or get run over, and I think that he will find himself getting caught and hurt as the bout goes deeper.

I'm sure that Fry will give it all he has has, but I am expecting Cleverly to continue his upward progression with a stoppage win in about nine rounds.