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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Stevenson: "Hunter Msade The
Perfect Decision In Indicating To Griffin To Stop The Bout"
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL - The WBC light heavyweight champion of the world,
the Montrealer southpaw Adonis Stevenson, said thank you to
the referee Mike Griffin and the trainer Virgil Hunter for
their decision to stop the fight in the second round
Saturday evening in the ring of the Bell Centre.
Hunter, Andrzej Fonfara’s trainer, asked to Griffin to stop
the bout, and the Montrealer referee did it right away. The
fight was stopped after only 208 seconds of action.
“Yes, I totally agreed with the Fonfara’s corner men, their
fighter was seriously in trouble in the second round, and I
took the decision to declare Fonfara TKO,” said Griffin. “It
was THE decision to take in the circumstances. I could see
clearly in the Fonfara’s eyes that he was really in
trouble.”
In the press room after the bout, Stevenson (29-1-0) was
clearly happy by the Griffin and Hunter’s decision. “I
seriously think that Fonfara was in danger when the fight
has been stopped,” said Stevenson. I was connecting Fonfara
with a lot of power shots in the first and second rounds,
and he was unable to block them. It was a relief for me when
Hunter indicated to Griffin to stop the fight. At that
moment, I got David Whittom in mind…”
A light heavyweight from Québec City, Whittom (12-24-1) is
in a coma in a Fredericton hospital in New Brunswick since
few days, after a defeat by KO against Gary Kopas (8-11-2).
But Stevenson, obviously, is more than satisfied by his
performance. “Before this rematch, I won all my WBC word
championships by KO or TKO, excepting in my first fight with
Fonfara in May 2014,” said Stevenson. “I really wanted to
win this rematch by KO or TKO, and I did it. I am extremely
proud of my performance”.
May 24th 2014, also in the ring of Bell Centre, Stevenson
won by unanimous decision against Fonfara, who claimed a
rematch right after the fight. However, Stevenson injured
seriously his left hand in the second round of this world
championship bout, and the situation prevented him to use
power shots for the last 10 rounds of the fight.
“I said I would beat Fonfara by KO or TKO with two hands in
perfect condition, and you saw what I did few minutes ago,”
said Stevenson. “My shots were destructive and accurate. I
really prove in this fight that I am the king of the light
heavyweight division. Don’t forget that the guy that I
demolished tonight, beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Nathan
Cleverly in 2015. He said he was a lot of better technically
and a lot of more mature since our first fight. If it’s the
case, he got to believe now that I am stronger than him…”
The promoter of the GYM Group, Yvon Michel, said that
Stevenson will probably defend his title against his
mandatory challenger, the Montrealer Colombian Eleider
Alvarez, in September in Montréal or Québec City.
Just before the fight Stevenson-Fonfara Saturday evening,
Alvarez improved his perfect record to 23-0-0 in beating the
former WBC light heavyweight champion of the world, the
Montrealer Jean Pascal (31-5-1), by majority decision of the
judges (114-114, 117-111 and 116-112). Pascal gave a solid
opposition to Alvarez in the fight, he showed a lot of
courage, but all the boxing writers working in the ringside,
picked Alvarez as winner. Alvarez dominated clearly more
rounds than Pascal.
Alvarez is ranked WBC first contender in the 175 pounds
division since a year and a half. “I really hope to be
involved in a WBC world championship bout this year,” said
Alvarez. “I am waiting this chance since too many months.
And with the huge progression I showed for three years on
the international boxing scene, I certainly deserve to get a
shot for the world title.”
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