The above headline might seem harsh, but it is written as a result of frustration. WBC light-heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson, just how good is he? This might come across as a pretty dumb question; after all, Stevenson has been champion for four years and he has made eight successful defences of his green belt, but his big title winning KO over Chad Dawson aside, “Superman’s” quality of opposition has not exactly been elite level.
Last night’s easy, some would say pointless, KO win over Andrzej Fonfara in a rematch of a good 2015 fight, is a perfect example. Stevenson destroyed the Polish warrior inside a couple of rounds last night, proving very little in the process. Fonfara was coming off an even quicker stoppage loss to Joe Smith Junior, who halted him in a round, and had done nothing apart from pick up a win over a faded Dawson to earn a WBC title shot. So what next for 39 year old Stevenson, 29-1(24)?
After last night’s predictable victory Stevenson declared how he “don’t have to call anybody,” adding how he will fight “whoever Al Haymon puts in with me.” Fans would of course like to see Stevenson face the winner of this month’s Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev rematch, but at the same time these fans won’t hold their breath waiting for it. A Stevenson-Kovalev fight could have, should have happened years ago.
It might be that Stevenson will fight Eleider Alvarez next, Alvarez being his number-one challenger, who decisioned Jean Pascal on last night’s card. This would be a good fight, and, as crazy as it sounds, something of a step up for Stevenson, at least in terms of who he’s been fighting lately.
At age 39, Stevenson’s career may not have too much longer to run. Will he get that defining fight before he retires? Of course, if the former Emanuel Steward-trained southpaw puncher can get himself a big win over a Ward or a Stevenson, he will have silenced his critics. But the clock is ticking……..