Adonis “Superman” Stevenson
“SUPERMAN” STEVENSON COULD BE “REAL DEAL”
Glasgow, Scotland– Adonis Stevenson walked into the Bell Centre for the first defense of his WBC light heavyweight (175 lb.) title bout against Tavoris Cloud wearing a baseball cap and donning a red cape with that Clark Kent look. Here was a fighter oozing with so much confidence as he stepped off a music stage. While it wasn’t quite like Prince Naseem Hamed coming into a London Arena on a “magic” carpet, Stevenson’s walk to the ring commanded attention.
ADONIS “OWNED” CLOUD & LET HIM KNOW IT
Make no mistake about it, the spectators had just witnessed the boxing equivalent of a Beatles concert in the main event as they departed the arena. Stevenson (22-1, 19 KOs) strummed his gloves off Cloud’s head and body as sweetly as one of Canada’s greatest musicians, Neil Young on the guitar. Dressed in the famous Kronk Gym (gold) trunks opened up with authority working behind his southpaw right jab.
FOCUSED CLOUD SANS ANY OFFENSE
Working behind that jab, Stevenson was the consummate boxer against the well-prepared Cloud in this battle of once beaten fighters. Instead of loading up on punches had so far defined himself as to this point in his career, Adonis showed that even the Marquess of Queensbury would himself been impressed. To say Cloud had difficulty landing blows and was unable to get into any kind of rhythm would sum up the former IBF titleholder Tavoris Cloud’s (24-2, 19 KOs) in Reader’s Digest like fashion.
FIGHTING LEFTIES IS A REAL BITCH….BUT WHEN…
When you’re fighting a southpaw the difficulty is only magnified when Tavoris felt the power Adonis was putting on those telling shots. Stevenson’s movement and southpaw stance, combined by a frequent jab, gave Cloud a window he could never look through. Between rounds, Stevenson’s trainer, Javan “Sugar” Hill asked his pupil to step up the pace and force Cloud back. Stevenson kindly obliged and things were only about to get a lot worse for Cloud.
THE “SHOVEL” PUNCH HAS RETURNED
Stevenson had Cloud perplexed. Again, behind the right jab, Superman was landing body punches into Cloud’s rib cage and liver area. However, the signature punches of the fight had to be Stevenson’s left cross from the outside with the second being what could best be described as an “up jab that was reminiscent of punch former heavyweight contender and Mike Tyson nemesis “Razor” Ruddock. Thrown from the waist straight as an arrow, all the while arched upwards, almost to the point of being called an uppercut.
BUSTED UP CHALLENGER NOT LONG FOR THE NIGHT
Early on Cloud’s facial features were showing the negative effects of the punches coming his way as he was busted up with nasty gash over his left eye. Stevenson’s rapid punches had Cloud with few options. And when the bell sounded for the start of the 7th round, his right eye was matched up the same as his left – symmetry. At that point Cloud’s corner headed by Al Bonnani had seen enough of this no-win situation for Cloud, prompting referee Michael Griffin to wave the fight off.
KRONK GYM GOLDFATHER STEWARD IMPLORED ADONIS
Stevenson’s performance would no doubt have had won the approval from the late Kronk Gym Goldfather Emanuel Steward who implored Adonis to take a Tavoris Cloud fight if it were presented. Boxing prophet Steward pictured an easy fight for Stevenson, and it was certainly that. Look for Stevenson to fight his WBC #1 challenger Tony Bellew (20-1-1,12 KOs) next. Thereafter, the retirement party of the ancient Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KOs) may come to fruition.
Robbi Paterson