Cleverly sees defence put on hold

The World Boxing Organisation stated on Tuesday, hours after a news conference in London to announce Cleverly-Krasniqi, that the defence against Sukhotsky must take place “within 120 days” of his last defence, which was against American Tommy Karpency in Cardiff on February 25. The WBO insisted last night that the Krasniqi bout "cannot and would not be sanctioned". Germany-based Serbian Krasniqi, 24, is ranked No 4 by the WBO, and has a record of 37 wins, two losses. It is plausible for the fight could go ahead as a non-title fight but if promoter Frank Warren wants Cleverly's fourth defence to be a WBO world title fight, there would have to be a switch to 30-year-old Sukhotsky, who has a record of 18 wins and one defeat, and is ranked No 1 challenger by the WBO. A spokesman for Warren confirmed the promoter is in talks with the WBO in the hope of resolving the impasse. If the bout goes ahead, it will mark the first time for 13 years that the Victorian venue in Kensington has staged a world title fight. Cleverly remained upbeat last night, the history of boxing at the iconic setting not lost on the 25-year-old Mathematics graduate. "It will great to be the first boxer in over 10 years to open up the doors to the Royal Albert Hall again," said Cleverly. "There’s a ‘Who’s Who’ in boxing who have fought at the Albert Hall and to add my name alongside greats like Lennox Lewis, Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn and Joe Calzaghe is a real honour and dream." Cleverly might add the likes of Henry Cooper, John H Stracey, and Frank Bruno, whose post-fight interviews with Harry Carpenter became a staple of terrestrial television broadcasts in the late Eighties and into the Nineties. The last world title fight at the Albert Hall was in April 1999, when Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrerra scythed Paul Lloyd to the canvas inside a round in a WBO super-bantamweight title bout. On the same night, April 28, the world’s oldest champion, Bernard Hopkins, defends the WBC light-heavyweight title in a rematch with Chad Dawson in Atlantic City. "I’ll also be keeping a close eye later that night from the action in Atlantic City between Hopkins and Dawson and will be looking to face the winner this summer," said Cleverly. Warren is looking to set up a unification bout for Cleverly this summer, in Cardiff, should be come through his fourth defence. Meanwhile, it has been announced that European super-middleweight champion James DeGale will put his belt on the line against Italian veteran Cristian Sanavia in Sweden on April 21. Dereck Chisora's hearing in front of the World Boxing Council, scheduled for Wednesday in London, has been adjourned with no future date set. Chisora had his boxer's licence removed by the British Boxing Board a week ago for misconduct in Munich last month, when he fought unsuccessfully for the WBC heavyweight title against Vitali Klitschko. Memorable nights at the Royal Albert Hall April, 1999: Julius Francis v Danny Williams The last title fight at the Royal Albert Hall. Julius Francis won a decision victory (118-114 on referee Larry O’Connell’s card) to retain the British and Commonwealth titles against then unbeaten Danny Williams (15-0). Chief support was Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrerra, who stopped Paul Lloyd in the first round to retain the WBO super bantamweight title, and Ricky Hatton. November, 1991: Frank Bruno v John Emmen Bruno fought the last of his 15 fights in a 45-contest career at the Victorian venue against Emmen, of the Netherlands, knocking the Dutchman out in the first round. Bruno ringside afterwards with commentator Harry Carpenter had become a familiar sight. June, 1973: John H Stracey v Bobby Arthur Former world welterweight champion Stracey – who fought at the Albert Hall 24 times in his 51-fight career – won the British welterweight title there against Bobby Arthur, having lost to him the previous year. November, 1964: Henry Cooper v Roger Rischer Cooper, then the British, Empire and European heavyweight champion, fought and lost on points over 10 rounds to American heavyweight Roger Rischer.