WBA/WBO & IBF light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev was at this destructive best last night in Las Vegas, effortlessly blowing away French mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi inside 3 rounds, demonstrating exactly why most right-thinking boxing fans consider him the premier fighter at 175 lbs ahead of lineal WBC champion Adonis Stevenson.
Beterbiev fought Alexander Johnson (16-3) and scored his 9th KO in as many fights on Friday night at the UCI Pavilion in Chicago. Johnson, a southpaw with agreeable boxing skills, had a height and a reach advantage over the Russian icebreaker and lasted longer than the previous victims. The American was never really in contention but he gave it a try. Beterbiev’s total boxing made Johnson look as if he was in a different sport. The southpaw stance did not help him; in fact it facilitated Beterbiev’s lead right hands.
With the impressive win, Beterbiev’s stock has risen, and it brings the potential prospects of a bout between him and former amateur foe Sergey Kovalev one step closer to possibly becoming a reality in the distant, but not too distant future.
ADONIS STEVENSON: 174 ½ Pounds
SAKIO BIKA: 174 ½ Pounds
ARTUR BETERBIEV: 175 Pounds
GABRIEL CAMPILLO: 174 ½ Pounds
(TV Swing Bout)
JULIAN WILLIAMS: 154 ½ Pounds
JOEY HERNANDEZ: 155 pounds
PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.
(Photo credit: Amanda Kwok / PBC on CBS) Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions return on CBS for an 80’s-esque throwback this Saturday afternoon live from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada. The main event matches the current lineal light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson against tough-as-nails and former super middleweight titleholder Sakio Bika. The co-main event features another step in the promising career of Arthur Beterbiev when he faces Gabriel Campillo.
The CBS broadcast harkens back to the days when boxing was a staple on terrestrial television in the afternoon, a time when the general public recognized more than just a few big names in boxing. Considering the promotion behind this event on CBS it’s too bad the top of this card wasn’t put together with more effort. No disrespect to Sakio Bika, who cut his teeth against the best fighters in his weight class in the last ten years or so. Of late though it appears the best days are behind the iron-chinned Bika. In the first of his two fights versus Anthony Dirrell something seemed different. He didn’t have that same spunk and what became obvious to see only worsened in the rematch.
Adonis Stevenson
Thanks to all the media. I want to thank Al Haymon, my manager, great job. This is a good person for me and fight on CBS since like ‘80 like Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali. You know, this is amazing. And the first championship they want to start in Canada, Quebec City. This is amazing. And I’m very glad to be part of that.
L. Milner
Great. “Sugar” Hill, could you add anything to that about training or comments about how Adonis is doing at camp?
Beterbiev is scheduled to fight Campillo at the Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec, Canada on the undercard of Adonis Stevenson vs Sakio Bika. Gabriel Campillo is a seasoned campaigner managed by ex-champ Sergio Martinez and he brings a certain type of pro experience and routine. He may not be a high-risk opponent as he has been stopped more than once – by Sergey Kovalev in Sergey’s 20th pro bout, by Andjei Fonfara in Andjei’s 25th outing and by Uzelkov. Beterbiev has fought 7 times and has boxed a total of 15 rounds while Campillo has amassed 211 paid rounds.
As we see out the year of 2014, boxing fans will look back and be nothing more than truly excited about the year to come.
Whilst there may not have been many real legacy defining super-fights, many new contenders have emerged, ready to pose a threat to those that dominate. Some divisions have opened up and could be conquered by anyone, while others have contenders vying for an imperious champion.
At featherweight a true legend in Nonito Donaire was put away by Nicholas Walters. Sergey Kovalev was not able to do the same to Bernard Hopkins, but he showed he is a worthy successor to the oldest champion in boxing history.
Former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, who appears to be tired of seeing WBC 175 title holder Adonis Stevenson face weak opposition, suggested recently that Stevenson should face contender Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) in his next optional defense so that he can rebuild his image with the boxing public.
Stevenson won over a lot of boxing fans with his 1st round knockout win over Chad Dawson last year in June of 2013. Since then, however, Stevenson has backed off from tough opposition and beaten Tavoris Cloud, Tony Bellew, Andrzej Fonfara and Dmitry Sukhotsky. Pascal wants to see Stevenson rebuild his name because he wants his fight against him in 2015 to be a big event. It’s not likely to be a big even with the kind of opposition that Stevenson has been facing.