CEFN Fforest fighter Nathan Cleverly has vowed to box on after losing to hated rival Tony Bellew despite previously suggesting the loser would have to retire.

Cleverly was edged out in a rematch from their 2011 light heavyweight clash on split decision after Bellew proved the more natural man at cruiserweight.

However, not only is Cleverly intending to fight on, but he’s set on completing a trilogy against Bellew and wants a fight in Wales after back-to-back visits to Liverpool and the Lion’s Den.

“I won the first fight, I won the first half of this one, he won the second and that was enough to get the decision by a couple of rounds, so it is one apiece now,” Cleverly told the Argus.

“We are 1-1 now and the only way to settle it is to have a third one. We’ve had two close and excellent fights and we need a third to settle the score once and for all.

“Ideally we would fight at a catch-weight in between the light heavy and cruiserweight limits, but I don’t think that will happen, so it’ll probably be at cruiserweight again and I will try and fill in the weight as well as I can.”

But even if his cruiserweight dream doesn’t come to fruition – not to mention the Bellew rematch – Cleverly still has designs on a boxing future.

“If it doesn’t come off against Tony, I could go back down to light heavyweight, it’s still an option,” he said.

“People know I could still make light heavy, it’d be hard, but it is an option.”

On his previous retirement comments, Cleverly clarified: “I think I have to take into account the context of the fight, it was a close one,” he said.

“One judge had me winning, it was close and if I had taken one of the last four I’d have had a draw.

“It would be a shame to call time after that. I feel strong, I wasn’t hurt in the fight, I feel fit and I’m in a good place mentally.

“The bottom line is I just couldn’t carry the weight into the second half of the fight at cruiser and I need to work on it.

“But I’ve come to Liverpool twice now, so maybe it is time for him to come to Cardiff. I think we could sell 20,000 tickets.”

Cleverly confirmed he damaged his right hand in the third round of the fight and admits he’s facing a tough decision on whether to continue at cruiserweight long-term.

“What can I do? There is no bigger weight differential and everyone in boxing knows, I know, that I’m caught between two weights, with a 25lb difference,” he admitted.

“It’s an unbelievable difference, I am only 27, I started as a welterweight and there are still some chapters left for me. I’m not hurt and it’s not a devastating loss like my previous defeat, I pushed the fight close and can come again.”