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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Adonis Stevenson: "Fonfara
Believes That He
Has The Maturity To Beat Me? He Is Dreaming"
By Daniel Cloutier
Photos: Credit Stephanie Trapp - SHOWTIME
MONTRÉAL - The WBC light heavyweight champion of the world,
the Montrealer southpaw Adonis Stevenson, said his
motivation to beat the American Polish Andrzej Fonfara is at
the maximum. Stevenson (28-1-0) will give a rematch to
Fonfara (29-4-0) next Saturday in the ring of the Bell
Centre in Montréal.
May 24th 2014 also at Bell Centre, Fonfara became the only
fighter to avoid a defeat by KO or TKO against Stevenson in
a WBC 175 pounds world championship. Fonfara lost the bout
by unanimous decision, but less than one hour after the
fight, he claimed a rematch, insisting on the fact he was
deserving the win.
“Yes, Fonfara is the only fighter I did not beat by KO or
TKO since I am world champion, but don’t forget that I
injured seriously my left hand in the second round, and for
the last 10 rounds of the bout, I was unable to use my power
shots said Stevenson at the final press conference of the
event Tuesday evening at the Montréal Casino. This time, I
will fight with two hands in perfect condition, and watch
me! I am determinate to win this fight by KO or TKO. Fonfara
said he will beat me because he is more mature than he was
when he fought me the first time. He is dreaming. I know he
is a better fighter than he was in 2014, he showed it in
beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Nathan Cleverly, but me
too I am more mature and better technically than I was in
2014.”
Stevenson has a perfect record of 8-0-0 in the WBC world
championships fights. Sugar Hill, Stevenson’s trainer, is
more than confident to see his fighter win. “Adonis trained
extremely hard during the last two months, and he is
determinate to win by KO, said Hill. I like to see him so
enthusiast at few days of a fight.”
Stevenson said he got a great training camp. “Fonfara said
he is better prepared for this rematch than he was in 2014,
but it’s the same situation for me,” said Stevenson. “I am
sure that Fonfara will do everything possible to surprise
me, but trust me, he won’t surprise me. I will fight with
concentration and intensity from the first to the last
second of the bout, and this time, I will have all the
weapons to do it. If there are boxing fans who believe I am
taking Fonfara lightly, there are wrong. I am taking this
bout very seriously. I am perfectly prepared mentally,
physically, technically, and strategically for this
challenge. And I won’t disappoint my fans.”
Fonfara replied: “Stevenson is not realistic at all if he
thinks he will fight the same boxer he meet in 2014. Like i
said it in the last days, I am better technically and I am
more mature than I was in 2014. I proved it when I beat
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Nathan Cleverly. When I faced
Stevenson here in 2014, my experience in pro boxing was
extremely limited. Not now. I am sure I will do the
necessary to get out of ring with the WBC light heavyweight
belt. If the Stevenson’s motivation is at the top, it’s the
same thing for me.”
Bernard Barré, the scout of the GYM Group, has no doubt in
his mind: Stevenson gonna stay WBC light heavyweight
champion of the world. “No doubt, Adonis is taking this
fight very seriously, then, he will certainly offer us a
great performance Saturday evening,” said Barré. “I am
keeping my prediction, Adonis gonna win by KO or TKO before
the seventh round. When Adonis is motivated like he is now,
when he is prepared mentally and physically like he is now,
nobody can beat him in the 175 pounds division, and nobody
can avoid a defeat by KO or TKO. Adonis is certainly the
most destructive puncher pound for pound on the
international boxing scene.”
The promoter of the GYM Group, Yvon Michel, is clearly
impatient to live this event. “In few days, we will present
one of our greatest boxing show in the last five years,”
said Yvon Michel. “Our boxing show is involving Adonis
Stevenson, Andrzej Fonfara, Eleider Alvarez and Jean Pascal,
four of the best light heavyweights in the world. We worked
extremely hard to organized this show, but we know that the
boxing fans who will pay to see it at Bell Centre, will
never regret it. So far, we sold over 6,000 tickets, and I
really believe we will draw over 10,000 boxing fans Saturday
evening. It will certainly be a spectacular event. In the
last days, a lot of of boxing fans told me that they believe
that Fonfara will surprise Stevenson, he gonna win this
rematch, and most of the boxing fans across Canada are
excited by our decision to oppose Eleider Alvarez to Jean
Pascal.”
The winner of the fight Alvarez-Pascal will become the
mandatory challenger for the winner of the bout
Stevenson-Fonfara.
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