Boxing: Nathan Cleverly aims for heftier title

Nathan Cleverly poses with a piece of meat to illustrate his step up to cruiserweight (Getty Images)

Nathan Cleverly is confident he could be a two-weight world champion before the end of next year after his "inevitable" step up to cruiserweight. The 26-year-old Welshman believes he was on borrowed time at light-heavyweight as far back as his second WBO title defence against Tony Bellew in October 2011.

Cleverly is enjoying not fighting to make the weight, but appreciates the size of the gap he must bridge against Australian Daniel Ammann for the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight title at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford on 30 November.

"I remember watching myself back on TV and I thought 'something's not right'," he said. "It was an inevitable process really, because I'm still young and naturally growing, so it was only a matter of time before moving up a weight.

"If there was a weight in between, that would be ideal, but because cruiserweight is such a big jump that's why it's such a big issue. But if you do it properly, which I will do, then we can overcome that. It's challenging as well, and I'm loving the new challenge of starting from the bottom."