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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Stevenson: "Four
Rounds Or Less..."
Bellew: "Stevenson Will Have The Surprise Of His Life..."
By Daniel Cloutier
QUÉBEC CITY, Canada --- Québec City was hit by by a snow
storm Wednesday, and at the same moment, Adonis Stevenson
was promised another storm… for Saturday evening in the ring
of the Québec City Colisée. The WBC light heavyweight
champion of the world is clearly on fire at few days of his
second defence of his belt, this one opposing him to his
mandatory challenger, the British Tony Bellew.
“We live a snow storm here, and be prepared for another one
Saturday evening… in the Colisée, said Stevenson few minutes
before the final press conference of the event, held at the
Bonne Entente hotel. More we are closer to the big moment,
more I am persuaded that Bellew will be destroyed when the
bell will rings. More the big moment is close, more I am
sure I gonna beat Bellew in four rounds or
less.”
When the press conference was going on, Yvon Michel, the
co-promoter of the event (with InterBox and Main Event),
asked to Bellew to talk to the microphone. “If Stevenson
believes seriously I will be a poor victim Saturday evening
in the ring of the Colisée, he will have the surprise of his
life, said the British. Iam so determinate to dethrone him
as WBC champion of the world. I am perfectly prepared for
this challenge, and trust me, I will go back in Great
Britain will the WBC belt in my luggage. I know exactly what
to do to beat this guy who seems to believe he is
invincible. Stevenson invincible? Give me a break! In 2010,
Stevenson, who loves to pretend he is Superman, lost by KO
against a guy who lost 20 bouts in pro boxing (Darnell
Boone). Stevenson is a strong puncher, I will not deny it,
but I really believe he is overrated as boxer. I am planning
to hit him solidly and often to make him lose his
concentration. More he will make mistakes, more the fight
will be easy for me.”
Stevenson (22-1-0) was smiling in listening Bellew (201-1).
"Hey man, if you think seriously your determination will
make the difference Saturday evening, you are mixing fiction
and reality, said the southpaw from Montréal. You mentioned
to the journalists that you are at few days to realize the
biggest dream of your life. I can predict that your dream
will be transform in a real nightmare. I will knock you out
cold, it is absolutely clear in my mind. I won my last 12
fights by KO or TKO, and trust me, the number 13 will be
reach in few hours. I just hope you will have the guts to
attack and challenge my punches. Man, if you really want to
become world champion, you will have to try something, you
will have to take risk in the ring. I just wish you will do
it….”
Saturday, Stevenson will become the only fighter on the
planet this year to participate to three world championship
bouts in a span of six months. June 8th at Bell Centre in
Montréal, Stevenson dethroned Chad Dawson (31-3-0) as WBC
champion, in stopping him in 76 seconds, and September 28th
at the same place, he became the first fighter to stop
Tavoris Cloud (24-2-0), forcing him to surrender at the end
of the 7th round.
“Adonis is certainly one of the biggest star of the year on
the international pro boxing scene, said Yvon Michel. It is
not a coincidence if his competing Floyd Mayweather Jr.
(46-0-0) and Danny Garcia (27-0-0) for the title of the WBC
fighter of the year. Adonis has an incredible year, and I
seriously believe he will have the most important wins of
his career in 2014 (Kovalev and Bernard Hopkins). He is on
the way to accomplish what Emmanuel Steward was predicting
before his death.”
HBO will televise three fights Saturday: Stevenson-Bellew,
the WBO light heavyweight championship of the world opposing
the Russian Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1) and the Ukrenian Ismayl
Sillakh (21-1-0), and the IBF welterweight elimination bout
between the Montrealer Jo Jo Dan (31-2-0) and Kevin
Bizier(21-0-0), from Québec City. “It is the first defence
on my WBO title, and I am planning to do several successful
defence of this title, said Kovalev. When Sillakh as been
approached to fight me, he said yes instantly. Then, i got
to take him seriously. I really think our fight will be
intense and spectacular.”
Kovalev became WBO champion August 17th in Cardiff, Wales,
in beating the British Nathan Cleverly (26-1-0) by TKO in
the fourth round. Jean Bédard, the promoter of the InterBox
Group, who is co-promoter of this event, said: “It will be
very exciting Saturday evening, said Bédard. It is certainly
the biggest boxing show of the year in Canada, and probably
one of the biggest in the world this year.”
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