NATHAN Cleverly is finally set to share a ring with WBA world light-heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer after it was announced the two will lock horns in Germany on October 1.

Cefn Fforest’s Cleverly was supposed to meet the 37-year-old German, then the WBO king, five years ago before Braehmer pulled out of the pair’s clash in London.

Braehmer was subsequently stripped of his crown and, as interim champion, Cleverly took over from the southpaw as the WBO’s number one.

Cleverly made five successful defences of the belt but then suffered the first defeat of his career when his title was taken away from him by Sergey Kovalev.

However, despite the WBA confirming that Braehmer was the mandatory challenger for light-heavyweight unified champion Kovalev, the Welshman is going to get the fight he has always wanted.

“This fight has been destined to happen and I can’t wait now,” said Cleverly. “It’s finally here – Juergen and I will finally go to battle and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve had a good recovery period and rest since the Fonfara fight and I feel fantastic.

“I’ve had a few niggles and injuries over the last couple of fights but I’ve recovered from them.

“I’m invigorated and I’m ready to strike again on the world scene and become a two-time world champion.

“Juergen is a great champion and an underrated one. He’s a puncher that has pedigree in the pros and all the way back to the amateurs, he’s a proper professional and a credit to the game.

“It’s like the old dog fighting the young dog, experience versus youth, but I’m 29 and I have a bagful of experience of my own and I know what I have to do.

“I am going into the champion’s back yard and I need to rip the title off him, and that’s what I intend to do.”

Sauerland Promotions will stage the show at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg and the bout will be shown live on Sky Sports.

“We’re delighted to have finally made this fight between the WBA world champion Juergen Braehmer and former WBO world champion Nathan Cleverly,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland.

“This is a fight people have been talking about for the last five years, and I’m sure it will live up to everybody’s expectations.

“Fans should prepare for an explosive fight and a great night of action in Neubrandenburg.”

Cleverly’s promoter Eddie Hearn added: “I’m delighted to deliver a world title shot for Nathan in a fight that has been many years in the making.

“After his fight of the year contender with Fonfara we have been looking at the big fights only and Braehmer was always the target, it’s a fight that Nathan fancies and has wanted for a long time – I believe that on October 1 Britain will have another world champion.”