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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Stevenson-Boone Rematch
Before The IBF World Championship
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL - The IBF championship committee has confirmed that
the Montrealer southpaw Adonis Stevenson will be involved in
a super middleweight world championship between June 5th and
June 25th.It will be for the vacant title. As mentioned a
few days ago, the British Carl Froch (30-2-0) and the Danish
Mikkel Kessler (46-2-0) will fight in an super middleweight
unification title (IBF-WBA) May 25th in London, but the
winner will be obliged to give up the IBF belt right after
the bout. It's part of the agreement taken last week between
Froch's promoter, Ed Hearn, the Kessler's promoter, Wilfrid
Sauerland, Stevenson's promoter, Yvon Michel, and the IBF
executive.
“This agreement is a perfect solution for all the parties
involved,” said Yvon Michel Monday morning in a press
conference held at his office. “Adonis has now the guaranty
to participate to an IBF world championship in June, between
the 5th to the 25th. And for Froch or Kessler, giving up the
IBF belt May 26th, will be no big deal, because neither one
or the other is planning to face Adonis on a short term.
Who Adonis will face in June? Difficult to know at this
point. The February IBF ratings will be published at
mid-March, and March 25th, the contenders ranked behind
Adonis at that moment, will all receive a letter invitation
to face Stevenson in a vacant world championship.”
Before the agreement taken between him, Sauerland, Yvon
Michel and the IBF executive, Ed Hearn called Lindsey Tucker
at the IBF head office, to mention that the fight
Froch-Kessler would be presented April 27th, to respect an
IBF rules (the IBF was ready to sanction an unification
titles match, but at the condition the fight would happen
April 27th or sooner). However, HBO, which will televise the
fight in North America (in a doubleheader with Pascal-Dawson
in Montréal), was requiring May 25th as date. At that point,
Hearn knew he had to make an agreement with Yvon Michel and
the IBF executive.
Froch has already confirmed that after this rematch with
Kessler, he will give a rematch to the Montrealer Lucian
Bute. This fight is scheduled for next fall in
Montréal. Froch lost by unanimous decision against Kessler
April 24th 2010 in Denmark, in the third round of the
Showtime Super Six Tournament, and he dethroned Bute
(31-1-0) as IBF world champion May 26th in Nottingham
(England), in winning by TKO in less than five rounds.
Froch lost the Super Six final against the Californian Andre
Ward (26-0-0) in December 2011. Stevenson (19-1-0), who does
not want to be inactive until June, met Yvon Michel last
Friday. He asked to the GYM Group boss to give him as soon
as possible a rematch with the only fighter who beat him,
the American Darnell Boone (19-20-3).
“We made an offer to Boone few days ago, and he said yes
right away,” said Yvon Michel. “He has already signed his
contract. This rematch will be the main event of our March
22nd “Rapides et Dangereux” (Fast and Dangerous) boxing
show. Adonis knows he will loose his IBF world championship
bout if he looses a second time against Boone, but he is
ready to take that risk.”
Stevenson lost by TKO in less than two rounds against Boone
April 16th 2010 in Salisbury, Maryland.
“Yvon Michel did not like so much the idea to organize that
rematch, but I have really insisted to have it,” said
Stevenson. “Boone is responsible for the only loss on my
record, and I want so much to erase that stain. I had only
one week of preparation when I fought Boone in Maryland in
2010, and it was a real
mistake to fight in that condition. Never will I fight again
out of shape. You will see what can I do with a perfect
preparation March 22nd. I will take care of Boone, and right
after, I will take care of my preparation for the IBF world
title bout. I will start an intense training session next
week in Detroit at theKronk Gym. Who I hope to face in June?
I don't care. I am ready to face all the contenders
interested to fight me. Nobody can intimidate me.”
Yvon Michel has confirmed that March 22nd, the Colombian
Eleider Alvarez (11-0-0), who is living and training in
Montréal, will be involved in the semi final of this show.
Alvarez will defend his North American NABO light
heavyweight crown against a fighter ranked in the world, to
be identified soon.
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