Cleverly: I’ve ignored Bellew

Cleverly is not among those who study opponents prior to big fights and it has been a similar story this time around.

Bellew, the British and Commonwealth champion, is a dangerous foe but Cleverly insists he will be focused on his own performance at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Saturday night.

“I just go on my instincts and hit whatever target I see,” Cleverly said. “That is what I’m trained to do – I don’t think too much or plan my punches.

“I swear, in preparation for this fight, I have watched Tony once and that’s all. I’ve seen what I’ve had to see and I will just go in and do my thing.

“I watched a bit of the Ovill McKenzie fight (Bellew’s last bout), but that is all I’ve watched – and only a couple of rounds of that, not the whole fight.

“I will go in there and do what I do, and I know that is going to be enough.”

Bellew has called out Cleverly for some time and with the pair almost coming to blows at previous press conferences, there is bad blood between them.

But Cleverly will be pleased to hear that first bell that means all the pre-fight talk will count for nothing.