| |
|
|
Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Sugar Hill: "Stevenson Is
Better Than Ever"
By Daniel Cloutier
QUEBEC CITY, Canada - Adonis Stevenson is like a lion in a
cage now. He cannot wait the moment to go in the ring of the
Quebec City Colisée. The Montrealer southpaw will proceed to
the fourth defence of his WBC light heavyweight championship
of the world Friday evening, and this 12 rounds bout
televised by Showtime, will oppose him to his seventh
contender, the Russian Dmitry Sukostky (22-2-0).
“Yes, I am in fire now, and I cannot wait the moment to get
out of my dressing room to walk to the ring, said Stevenson.
I am perfectly prepared for this other defence of my title.
I am positive I am the king of the 175 pounds division, and
I gonna prove it in my next presences in the ring. I will
take care of Sukhotsky Friday evening, and take care after
of Sergey Kovalev (the WBA, WBO and IBF world champion). But
at this point, I have only one man in mind: Dmitry
Sukhotsky. I know he did not come in Quebec City in tourist.
I know he has a clear intention de take my property, but
nobody will steal my property. Sukhotsky has the reputation
to be an intense and tough fighter, and it’s perfect. I hope
he will attack me frequently. More he will attack, more he
will give me opportunities to connect him with my power
shots. And everybody knows what my power shots can do as
damages. More the big moment is approaching, more I am
convicted that I will become the first fighter to beat
Sukhotsky by KO or TKO. Watch me when the first bell will
ring…”
Stevenson (24-1-0) became WBC light heavyweight champion of
the world June 8th 2013 at Bell Centre in Montréal, in
dethroning Chad Dawson with a surprising win by KO in the
first round. In the following six months, he defended
successfully his belt against Tavoris Cloud (KOT at the end
of the seventh round) and Tony Bellew (TKO in the sixth
round). For Cloud, a former IBF champion of the world from
Florida, and Bellew, a British, it was a first lost by KO or
TKO.
Sukhotsky believes strongly he will leave Quebec City with
the WBC belt in his luggage. “Like I said earlier, Stevenson
is deserving my respect for what’s he achieved in 2013, but
it’s my time now. I came here to dethrone him, and I will do
it. I am a very intense fighter, and I really believe
Stevenson will be unable to resist to my intensity. You will
understand what i mean when the fight will begins. And I am
sure I am better technically than him. Stevenson is
dangerous with his left hook, but not productive with his
right hand. On my side, i can do damage from both hands.”
At the weight in, Stevenson posted an official weight of
174.6 pounds, versus 173.4 for Sukhotsky. Sugar Hill, the
Stevenson’s trainer, is more than confident to see his
fighter wins clearly that bout. “Adonis has always been a
hard worker in the gym, but what he accomplished in the last
three months is absolutely amazing, said Hill, the main
trainer of the Kronk Gym in Detroit. He is certainly in the
best shape of his career. And as boxer, he is better than
ever. Adonis never stopped to improve his style in the last
three years, technically and strategically. He wants to
learn every day in the gym to be a better fighter, a more
dangerous one. The people who believes Adonis is more an
explosive puncher than a boxer, don’t know him like I do. I
am expecting a great performance from Adonis in the next
hours. Sukhotsky is a tough boxer, but he has absolutely no
idea what Adonis can achieve in the ring. I have now the
chance to work with the best light heavyweight in the world,
and I appreciate it every day.”
Two IBF elimination bouts will be presented before the main
event.
The first one will opposed the welterweights Kevin Bizier
(23-1-0) and the Montrealer Romanian Jo Jo Dan (33-2-0), the
second one will involved the super middleweights Andre
Dirrell (23-1-0), from Flint, Michigan, and Derek Edwards
(27-3-1), from Las Vegas. The winners of these elimination
bouts will become mandatory challengers for the world
champions on their division.
The British Carl Froch (33-2-0) and Kell Brook (33-0-0) are
IBF champions of the world, the first one in the super
middleweight division (168 pounds), the second one in the
welterweight division (147 pounds).
The Montrealer Russian Artur Beterbiev (6-0-0), the only
fighter ranks in the Top 10 in the world in the light
heavyweight division (WBA 10th contender) with only six
bouts of experience in pro boxing, will fight Jeff Page Jr.
(15-0-0), from Andover, Kansas, in a NABA, NABO and IBF
North American championship.
Last September at Bell Centre, in Montréal, Beterbiev caused
a real commotion on the international scene in beating the
former IBF champion of the world, the American Tavoris Cloud
(24-3-0), by KO in less than two rounds.
The other preliminaries bouts will involved the super
welterweights Sébastien Bouchard (8-1-0), from Baie
Saint-Paul, Québec, the Porto Rican Prichard Colon (12-0-0),
Custio Clayton, a rookie from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the
Russian super bantamweight rookie Vislan Dalkkaev. At the
weight in, Dirrell posted a weight of 167.8 pounds, Edwards
167, Beterbiev 174.6 and Page 174.2 pounds.
Sébastien Bouchard will be opposed to Cedric Spera (11-2-0),
from Belgium, Colon will fight Lee Laquette (3-3-0), from
Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Clayton and Dalkaev will make their
pro debut in fighting respectively the French Sophyan Haoud
(3-2-1) and the Mexican Efren Bautista (3-5-2). The fight
Bouchard-Spera is scheduled for six rounds, Colon will be
involved in a eight rounds bouts, and the first two fights
of the evening are four rounders.
|
|
|
