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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Sugar Hill: "Stevenson Is The Most
Dangerous Puncher On The Planet"
By Daniel Cloutier
TORONTO, Ontario - Sugar Hill, Adonis Stevenson’s trainer,
has no doubt in his mind: his fighter will be the big winner
May 19th in the ring of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Stevenson (29-1-0), a Montrealer southpaw, will proceed to
the ninth defense of his WBC light heavyweight (175 pounds)
championship of the world, in facing the former WBA champion
of the world, the Swedish African Badou Jack (22-1-2).
“Adonis is always perfectly prepared for a defense on his
world title, mentally, physically and strategically”, said
the trainer from Detroit, Michigan. “No doubt in my mind,
Adonis will be the big winner May 19th. Adonis is the most
dangerous puncher on the planet, and you will see, he will
hurt his opponent each time he will connected him with a
power shot. And Adonis is always connecting his power shots
at the right time. He is so good to disturb the opponent
with his jabs and hooks, and after, the big punches are
coming.”
Hill saw Badou Jack in action few times. “Badou Jack is a
good fighter, no doubt about it, but he will realize in few
days how much it's difficult to fight the most explosive and
destructive puncher in the world,” said Hill. “If Badou Jack
has been hurt by Derek Edwards in 2014, he will certainly be
hurt by Adonis.”
So far, only Edwards (27-8-1), a fighter from Las Vegas, has
been able to beat Badou Jack. He provoked two knockdowns and
won by TKO in the first round.
Stevenson does not look nervous at all at few days of this
fight with Badou Jack. “I am perfectly prepared for this
fight, mentally, physically and strategically, then, I have
absolutely no reason to be nervous,” said Stevenson. “Badou
Jack is persuaded that he will surprise me May 19th, he
thinks he is a better fighter technically than me, but if
one of us get a bad surprise May 19th, it will be him, not
me. I will fight intelligently, i will use my jabs at the
right moments and my power shots at the right moments. Like
I said recently, if Derek Edwards has been able to stop
Badou Jack in provoking two knockdowns in this bout, do you
think seriously that Jack will have an easy game with me?
Come on! I know I have the weapons to hurt him. I know I am
the most powerful puncher of the light heavyweight division.
I really believe I gonna win this fight by KO or TKO.”
Since he as the statute of WBC light heavyweight champion of
the world, Stevenson won six of his eight world
championships bouts by KO or TKO.
Only the American Polish Andrzej Fonfara (29-5-0) and the
Australian Sakio Bika (34-7-3) avoided KO or TKO against
Stevenson in world championships bouts. Both lost by
unanimous decision of the judges.
The promoter of the GYM Group, Yvon Michel, has no doubt:
Stevenson will keep his title May 19th.
“It will be a very interesting fight, because Badou Jack is
efficient technically and he has a good experience on the
international boxing scene,” said Yvon Michel. “However,
Adonis is extremely motivated and determinate to keep his
world title. I am agree with Sugar Hill, Adonis is actually
the best puncher pound for pound in the world. I really
believe we will have great action in this fight, but Adonis
will be in the winning corner. Adonis is always perfectly
prepared for the defence of his world title, and he never
lost a world title fight. And if Badou Jack attacked
intensively May 19th, like several people believe he will
do, he will certainly give opportunities to Adonis to
connect his power shots. And Adonis never missed a chance to
hurt an opponent.”
More the big moment is close, more Stevenson looks happy to
fight at the Air Canada Centre. “It’s always a big thrill
for me to fight in Montréal, in my city, but it will be also
a big thrill to fight in Toronto,” said Stevenson. “Toronto
is the most important sport city in Canada, with
professionals teams in baseball, football, basket-ball
hockey and soccer, then, it will be very special for me to
win a significant bout in this major sports city. However,
if Sergey Kovalev wins against Eleider Alvarez August 4th in
Atlantic City, I want absolutely to fight him in an
unification titles bout (WBC and WBO), and I want absolutely
to dispute this major fight in Montréal.”
And If Alvarez (23-0-0) wins against Kovalev (32-2-1)? “If
Alvarez wins, I am ready to face him in an unification
titles bout,” said Stevenson. “But, apparently, Alvarez is
not interested anymore to face me.”
Alvarez said: “I have been the mandatory challenger for the
WBC light heavyweight championship of the world for more
than two years, and Stevenson never gave me an opportunity
to face him. Never! I will beat Kovalev August 4th, and my
message for Stevenson will be… you, go to hell!.”
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