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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Stevenson:
"Dawson Lost A Title Match Here In
2010, & He Will Live The Same Nightmare Saturday"
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL ---- Adonis Stevenson seems extremely calm and
confident at few days of the most important bout of his pro
boxing career. The southpaw from Montréal will try to
dethrone the American Chad Dawson as WBC light heavyweight
champion of the world Saturday evening in the ring of the
Bell Centre. For Stevenson, it will be his first experience
in a major world title match, Dawson his 11th (record of
8-2).
“Yes, I am very calm and very confident,” said Stevenson
Monday afternoon in front of a dozen of journalists who were
assisting to a public training session at the Delta Hotel in
Montréal downtown. I feel exactly like I was last October at
few days of my TKO victory against Donovan George (WBC
elimination bout). I never faced a big name like Chad
Dawson, true, but Chad, on his side, never faced a
destroying puncher like me. I saw Dawson many times in
action, and I know exactly what to do to put him in trouble.
Dawson has a tendency to work patiently in the ring, and
take advantage of the opponent's mistakes. This strategy
will not work against me. I will put a lot of pressure of
him, to force him to open the machine the most possible.
More Dawson will attack, more he will takes risks, more I
will have opportunities to place my power shots. My
intention is to dominate the action in every round, and give
the decisive shot at the right time. You know as me the
damage of my fists can do.”
Stevenson (20-1-0) was laughing when a journalist told him
that Dawson was favourite by eight to one in the Las Vegas
Sports Books. “The odds of the bookies won't change anything
of what will happens in the ring Saturday evening,” said
Stevenson. “I know I am perfectly prepared, I know I am
extremely strong physically and mentally, and I know I have
the tools to beat that guy. At 175 pounds, I feel strong
like ever. Dawson lost here in 2010 in a WBC light
heavyweight championship bout (against Jean Pascal), and he
will live the same nightmare Saturday.”
Stevenson was ranked mandatory contender by the IBF in the
super middleweight division (168 pounds) last winter.
Because no contender (among the first 15) has accepted to
face him in an IBF world championship fight, Stevenson has
decided to move up in the light heavyweight to face Dawson
(30-2-0).
“Dawson said I have not the talent and the technique to beat
him, but I think he will change his mind Saturday after the
first round,” said Stevenson. “I want to dominate him
technically and physically.
Dawson will train in public Tuesday afternoon at the Delta
Hotel. This fight will be televise by HBO, immediately after
the lightweight bout opposing the Cuban Yuriokis Gamboa
(22-0-0) and the Colombian Darley Perez (28-0-0).
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