The World Boxing Council has given permission for WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (21-1, 18 KO’s) to make a voluntary defense against former IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (24-1, 19 KO’s), according to Steve Kim.
This means that that the 35-year-old Stevenson can bypass his mandatory title defense against challenger Tony Bellew. I’m sure Bellew won’t like this news because he had been hoping that he’d be next in line to face Stevenson after he beat Isaac Chilemba recently to become his mandatory.
The light heavyweight division has been very active over the last few years. Fighters, networks, and promoters found away to give boxing fans something they rarely get in the sports current state…clarity. With all 3 forces working together all hell broke loose with unforeseen upsets, draws, rematches, and the triangle theory once again got debunked. We got entertaining scraps that warranted rematch fights with Chad Dawson vs. Glenn Johnson and Bernard Hopkins vs. Jean Pascal. 
Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (21-1, 18 KOs) made a huge statement when he scored an explosive first round knockout against “Bad” Chad Dawson (33-3, 17 KOs) to become the new light heavyweight king. This dazzling display of sheer strength and power catapults Stevenson into the spotlight of an already interesting 168-175 pound landscape, which includes Andre Ward, Carl Froch, and living legend Bernard Hopkins to name a few. Stevenson suddenly finds himself in a unique position where a slew of lucrative opportunities are likely to surface. I was recently afforded the opportunity to speak to Stevenson about his championship winning performance, his future in boxing, and his opinions of some of the other big names who reside in and around his weight class. Here is what the new champ had to say. 
Now that Adonis Stevenson (21-1, 18 KO’s) has the WBC light heavyweight title after obliterating Chad Dawson in one round, Britain’s Tony Bellew, the #1 WBC 175 lb. contender, has come out of the woodwork and he wants his shot at Stevenson’s new WBC title and he likes his chances in beating the 35-year-old. 
Adonis Stevenson (21-1, 18 KO’s) snatched the title from WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-3, 17 KO’s) tonight by knocking him out in the 1st round with a vicious left hand to the head in the 1st round at the Bell Centre, in Montreal, Canada. 
Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KO’s) may be moving up a class tonight in taking on WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KO’s) in a crucial fight in his career, but he’s not worried at all about being out of his league in this fight. 
Fight fans in the UK are in for a huge night of televised boxing this coming Saturday night/early Sunday morning – those fans who have access to BoxNation and Sky Sports especially, although there will be terrestrial action on Channel 5.
Having finally avenged his defeat against journeyman Darnell Boone by stopping him in the 6th round last Friday night, super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KO’s) will now set his sights on WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KO’s) for a title challenge on June 8th at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. Stevenson’s promoter Yvon Michel hopes to have negotiations completed between Stevenson and Dawson this week.
By Jeff Sorby: Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KO’s) was able to avenge his defeat against journeyman Darnell Boone (19-21-3, 8 KO’s) by giving him a terrible beating and stopping him in the 6th round on Friday night at the Bell Centre, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.