NATHAN Cleverly derided his opponent Tony Bellew as being fat during the build-up to their grudge match in Liverpool, but admits the Bomber’s larger natural physique proved decisive on Saturday night.

There can be few complaints – even this side of the Severn Bridge – at the outcome that saw Bellew gain a measure of revenge over his rival from Cefn Fforest as he claimed a split decision 114-115 116-112 115-113 to Bellew.

Indeed, in the cold light of day it’s difficult to see how the judges scored it as a split decision, just as there was never truly controversy over the first contest in 2011, that Cleverly won, also on split decision, but crucially at light heavyweight.

There is no bigger discrepancy in the sport than the 25lb differential between light heavy and cruiser and though hindsight is a wonderful thing, this was a fight too soon for Cleverly at cruiserweight, if he indeed intends to carry on as he is rather than regroup and go again at light heavy, he needs more in-ring experience against big guys like Bellew.

The Liverpool fighter insulted Cleverly’s perception of himself as an “athlete,” throughout the build-up to the fight, but in the middle rounds where the former Team Calzaghe man looked comfortable and Bellew was blowing hard and breathing with his mouth ajar, it seemed Cleverly was more than set for the last laugh against a foe who took things too far in the hype, especially at Thursday’s televised press conference. Let us not forget Bellew is still likely to face British Boxing Board of Control sanctions for his totally untrue claims that Cleverly has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

However, while Cleverly won the first fight and he was the classier man in the build-up, Bellew was a deserved victor in a contest that was ultimately a disappointment after such an exhaustive hype job, the opening eight rounds somewhat insipid with the stakes so high, Cleverly largely in control as he boxed from range, using his left jab in a mature and impressive manner – though it would emerge later that Cleverly damaged his right hand in the third round.

However, everything changed in the ninth session when Bellew landed a couple of big shots and never let Cleverly have room to breathe, weighing – literally – heavily on the former WBO world champion as he pushed him down and limited his offense to the point it was impossible not to score the last four rounds for the hometown hero.

“I gave everything for 12 rounds. For the first half of the fight it was comfortable for me, I was boxing and moving and it felt nice in there, quite easy,” Cleverly told the Argus in his dressing room.

“But in the second half of the fight I was feeling it, it is the first time I’ve gone to the second half of a fight as a cruiserweight and it started getting hard, I am carrying 25lbs of extra muscle now and burn a lot more oxygen and I felt it.

“Let’s be honest, I can say that I am a cruiserweight, but there is no way I am a full blown cruiserweight. I am somewhere in between the two divisions, I’ve pumped up to this weight and it is a little bit difficult to carry the full weight for 12 rounds and more easy for Tony, he used his weight advantage and was constantly pressing down on me throughout the fight.”

Bellew, even in victory, would only hint at having less acrimonious feelings towards Cleverly.

"I was getting tagged but I was just walking through it,” he said. "I love the sport and the glory of it - I just can't quit.

"I feel like crying - I'm so happy to get home to my three kids. Winning means so much to me. I was gutted about the split decision, I think I won nine rounds.

“I still can’t stand him, but there is respect there now, I beat a great athlete at his own game.”

Elsewhere on a stacked card at the Liverpool Echo Arena, Liverpool’s popular super middleweight Callum Smith saw off Nikola Sjekloca in the biggest test of his professional career, defeating the Serbian decisively on points with all three judges to retain his WBC international title.

Jamie McDonnell survived a few scary moments in his WBA World Bantamweight Championship clash with Javier Chacon before the Argentinean was forced to retire in round ten with a shoulder injury.

Scott Quigg ensured there was at least some good news for Bury this weekend as the regular at Gigg Lane beat Hidenori Othake of Japan by a significant margin on points in an international super middleweight contest, all three judges finding heavily in his favour.

Hated rivals James DeGale and George Groves both came through tough warm-up tests ahead of potential world title shots in 2015.

DeGale sent out a statement with an impressive third round stoppage victory against durable Mexican Marco Antonio Periban and Groves also stopped his opponent, this time in the seventh stanza. Groves was too good for Dennis Douglin of the US, a fighter nicknamed “Momma’s Boy” whose mother Saphya is his full-time trainer. He continues his career rehabilitation after his two losses to Carl Froch.

In the heaviest of heavyweight contests, Olympian Anthony Joshua continued his destructive ascent in the sport by hammering Michael Sprott, easily his best known opponent to date and who once clipped the wings of a highly-rated Olympic gold medallist when he stunned Audley Harrison in 2007 for European and British titles.

However, now 39, Sprott is past his prime and was no more able to handle Joshua’s powerful hands than anyone else as the London 2012 gold medal winner advanced to 10-0 by stoppage in just under 90 seconds, his speed and veracity overwhelming Sprott whose legs wobbled as he was forced back onto the ropes, referee Terry O’Connor quick to step in.