Nathan Cleverly to box on and wants to regain world title

Nathan Cleverly says he will carry on boxing and has already set his sights on regaining his world title.

The Welshman, 26, had hinted he was ready to walk away from the ring after losing his WBO light-heavyweight title to unbeaten Russian Sergey Kovalev.

Cleverly was knocked down for the first time in his career as he suffered his first defeat in 27 professional fights in Cardiff in August.

"As time has gone on, I want to be back [boxing] now," said Cleverly.

The Cefn Fforest fighter, in his sixth title defence, was knocked down in the third round by Kovalev and lost the fight 29 seconds into the fourth.

He added: "I have had a couple of weeks now, living a normal life, enjoying life and bit by bit, I have reflected on the fight and my boxing career.

"I will have a few more weeks relaxing and then I will get that burning desire to get back in the gym and get that world title again.

"I have the ability, I am young enough at 26 and it would be a waste to throw that away. I just have to focus and get it [world title] back."

Cleverly made no secret of his ambitions of unifying the world titles and having a career-defining fight in America against the great Bernard Hopkins, but his defeat by Kovalev ended those hopes.

At the time, Cleverly, who has a degree in mathematics, said: "Your instincts tell you if you are missing boxing, or are you going to find another career path.

"Who knows where my heart is going to lie? If I continue, I will come back and give it a go.

"But the background I have got and the brain I have got, do I really need to continue? It could go either way, my career."