WBO world light-heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly has said that despite the timing of his fight at the Royal Albert Hall on April 28th, he couldn’t turn the opportunity down.

He said, “Ideally, I would have taken more time off after the last fight but as soon as the opportunity to fight at the Royal Albert Hall came up it would have been silly to turn it down.”

“I feel comfortable with how training’s been,” said Cleverly. “My last fight was only eight weeks from this one so my fitness is still there from the last training camp and it’s just a matter of adding to that.

“If I keep topping my fitness up, keep things ticking over and most importantly keep mentally focused I know I’ll win this fight. Once I concentrate 100 per cent, I know that for a fact.”

With talk of a summer unification rife, Cleverly was keen to make the point that he isn’t over-looking his opponent, Robin Krasniqi.

“It’s easy to get complacent in boxing so it’s important I focus on one fight at a time. This fight is crucial.”

“It’s a world title fight so anything can happen. I have to be careful and be at the top of my game to keep my dream of fighting Bernard Hopkins in the summer alive.

Clev gym-mate Williams to appear on Selby show

It was also announced at the press conference that Barry’s Lee Selby will defend his British and Commonwealth titles at the Newport Centre on May 25th.

Highly rated middleweight prospect Liam Williams will make his third professional appearance on the undercard – he shares the same trainers as WBO world light-heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly and they have sparred many rounds together.

Also on the show are Welsh prospects; Tobias Webb, Craig Evans, Lewis Rees and Francis Luke Robinson.