Emanuel Steward Predicts World Title for Adonis 'Superman' Stevenson
IBF No. 2 Eliminator vs Gonzales Sat. Night at Bell Centre in Montreal
Rated in the top 15 of the four major governing bodies, as high as No. 7 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"), the dangerous Stevenson (16-1, 13 KOs) is also the reigning North American Boxing Association ("NABA") and North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") and International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Inter-Continental super middleweight champion. After this week's action, "Superman" will quickly switch his sights to become the No. 1 rated and mandatory challenger to IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute.
Stevenson vs. Gonzalez headlines a Quebec star-studded "Fast & Furious Boxing Series" event, presented by Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, at the famed Bell Centre.
Steward is in Austria training WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko for his March 3 title defense against Jean Marc Mormeck in Germany. However, Emanuel will be working Stevenson's corner this Saturday evening, passing up an opportunity to watch WBC heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko fight Dereck Chisora, also in Germany, on the same night.
"Adonis' training camp (in Detroit) has been phenomenal," reported Steward, who trained Stevenson at the Kronk Gym until recently leaving for Austria. "Of all the great world champions who've trained over the years at Kronk, including Sugar Ray Leonard before and after the 1976 Olympics, Adonis has created the most excitement. Chad Dawson trained there for one fight and he had some tough workouts with (world middleweight contender) Andy Lee. Adonis and Andy have had electric workouts, like Ali-Frazier fights.
"Adonis Stevenson has unbelievable punching power, focus and intensity. His intensity is the same in the first and last round, which is unusual, and he runs every morning and evening. One night I looked out my window and saw somebody running in a blizzard. It was Adonis. He lived 2-3 miles away and it was a Sunday. He said he was bored and came over to watch boxing tapes. I've had many world champions but his punching power and intensity is not normal. I'm very excited about Adonis and I can't see any 168-pounder not having a very tough time against him. He will definitely be world champion the first opportunity he gets.
"I also believe he has one of the best boxing promoters in the world. I know how Yvon Michel moves his fighters and how well he treats them."
Saturday night's exciting eight-round co-feature will showcase undefeated North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") light heavyweight title-holder, Colombian native and Montreal favorite Eleider "Storm" Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs), defending his belt against former USBA champion Otis "Triple OG" Griffin (23-9-2, 9 KOs), winner of Oscar de la Hoya's The Next Great Champ television reality show.
The undercard is stacked from top to bottom, featuring four entertaining eight-round bouts: Montreal light welterweight Dierry "Douggy" Jean (20-0, 13 KOs) vs. former English champion Ryan Barrett (25-9-3, 5 KOs), former NABA super featherweight titlist Arash Usmanee (16-0, 8 KOs) vs. Danish invader Innocent Anyanwu (21-3-2, 12 KOs), unbeaten 2008 Colombian Olympian Oscar "Kaboom" Rivas (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Croatian kick-boxer Ivica Perkovic (15-12, 11 KOs), and 2009 Canadian National Team member, popular featherweight Tyler Asseltine (8-0, 5 KOs), vs. undefeated Italian boxer Nicola Cipolletta (8-0, 2 KOs).
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is Quebec heavyweight Didier Bence (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Stephane "Brutus" Tessier and light welterweight Ghislain Maduma (5-0, 2 KPs) vs. Jeremy Abbott (3-2, 2 KOs) in a pair of six-round bouts; as well as super featherweight Baha Laham (7-0, 2 KOs) vs. Csaba "Little Tyson" Toth in a four-round match. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
The Officials for the Stevenson/Gonzales IBF title eliminator are:
Supervisor: Vaughan LaPrade, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Referee: Marlon Wright, Saint Laurent, Quebec, Canada
Judges: Herb Santos, Reno, Nevada, USA, Sylvan LeBlanc, Blainville, Quebec, Canada, John Parish, Oak Par, Michigan, USA
Tickets, starting at $60.00, are available to purchase at the Bell Center, at www.evenko.ca, or GYM's office (514-383-0666).
The entire card will air live in Canada on CANAL INDIGO, BELL TV and SHAW TV. In the United States it will be on FIGHT NOW TV - America's only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel.
Go on line www.groupeyvonmichel.ca for more information about the Feb. 18 show.
CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, 978.664.4482
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Battle of Undefeated Featherweight Prospects Canadian
Tyler Asselstine vs. Italian Nicola Cipolletta Saturday Night in Montreal
Asselstime-Cipolletta is part of the "Fast & Furious" undercard, presented by Groupe Yvon Michel, in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, at the famed Bell Centre. Super middleweight sensation Adonis "Superman" Stevenson defends his International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Inter-Continental title in the 12-round main event, also an IBF voluntary eliminator for the No. 2 position, versus former NABF champion Jesus "El Martillo" Gonzales (27-1, 14 KOs).
The entire show will be available to watch in the United States on FIGHT NOW TVTM - America's only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel.
"I love fighting in Montreal,"25-year-old Asselstine said. "The fans are great and so is the atmosphere. Training camp went very well and I'm right on weight. I'm very happy to be on this great card. This is absolutely my toughest test as a pro. My opponent is a tall, slick fighter from Italy who doesn't know how to lose, yet. It's going to be a fun, action-packed fight."
A member of the 2009 Canadian National Team, Tyler represented his country as a decorated amateur (70-10) in many International matches, including a gold-medal performance at the 2010 Ringside World Championships.
Asselstine is a talented southpaw who started boxing at 18 after being a kick-boxer. He has been favorably compared is a smaller, younger version of his boxing idol, IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute. Asselstine's promoter, Hennessy Sports, believes Tyler is well on his way to becoming the next great Canadian boxer.
"We're very high on Tyler," his promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) said. "Fighting another 8-0 opponent gives you an indication of how strongly we believe in him, as well as the type of young fighter Tyler is. He's getting better with each and every fight and this will certainly be a good fight to gauge his progress and future prospects."
Other members of Hennessy Sports Canada's' growing stables of champions, contenders and prospects include NABA super featherweight champion, 2011 NABO Fighter of the Year, WBA #8 Logan Cotton McGuinness, former WBC International Silver welterweight champ Victor Lupo; new Canadian welterweight champion Samuel Vargas, undefeated light heavyweight prospect and Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson.
Go on line at www.HennessySports.com for more information about Asselstine, upcoming Hennessy Sports events or any of his stable-mates.
(Photo courtesy of Hennessy Sports)
CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, 978.664.4482
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Stevenson / Gonzales Headlines Loaded
'Fast & Furious' Show Live from Montreal
(February 13th) - FIGHT NOW TV TM- America's only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel - announced today that it will air the loaded "Fast & Furious Boxing Series" event this Saturday night (Feb. 18) live from the famed Bell Centre in Montreal.
American boxing fans will be able to watch some of the best boxers from north of the border, including world super middleweight contender Adonis "Superman" Stevenson (16-1, 13 KOs), who battles former NABF champion Jesus "El Martillo" Gonzales (27-1, 14 KOs). Stevenson will defend his IBF Inter-Continental title belt in the 12-round main event fight that will also have world title fight implications as an IBF super middleweight voluntary eliminator fight for the No. 2 rating. The IBF has also ordered an eliminator fight for the No. 1 ranking and that winner will fight the Stevenson-Gonzales victor to determine the mandatory challenger for IBF 168-pound champion Lucian Bute.
"Once again promoter Yvon Michel (GYM Boxing) has assembled a strong event with a great mix of fighters who deliver the action," said Mike Garrow, GM and co-founder of FIGHT NOW TV. "Viewers of FIGHT NOW TV let us know they enjoyed the last GYM event from Montreal we did, so we are very happy to be able to offer another great night of fights."
The "Fast & Furious Boxing Series" is presented by Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron
"This is our second event with FIGHT NOW TV and this offers us a very interesting window for marketing our shows and fighters," Michel explained. "A lot of people in the United Starts have heard a lot of good things about what we're doing in our market for boxing, but they haven't had a chance, until now, to see it on a regular basis. Our deal with FIGHT NOW TV is to show all of our shows this year. It's a great opportunity for our shows to be seen in the U.S. and for them to watch our fighters.
"Adonis Stevenson is the most underrated fighter in the 168-pound division. He is the best kept secret in boxing. American fans will have an opportunity to see not only his great punching power, but his solid boxing skills and overall ability. 'Superman' will play a major role in the super middleweight division."
Power-puncher Stevenson (16-1, 13 KOs), fighting out of Longueuil, Quebec by way of Haiti, has crowd-pleasing appeal and two hands capable of putting opponents to sleep at a moment's notice. He is coming off of a sensational ninth-round technical knockout victory of Aaron Pryor Jr. last month for the North American Boxing Association ("NABA"), North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") and International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Inter-Continental super middleweight titles.
The wildly entertaining Stevenson is rated No. 8 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"), as well as No. 15 by the World Boxing Council "WBC") and IBF. Gonzales, a slick southpaw from Arizona who has won his last 10 fights, is rated No. 12 by the IBF and No. 14 by the WBC.
The undercard is loaded, starting with the eight-round co-feature, pitting Montreal's unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Eleider "Storm" Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs), the reigning NABO title-holder from Colombia and 2008 Olympian, versus former USBA champion Otis "Triple OG" Griffin (23-9-2, 9 KOs), winner of Oscar de la Hoya's The Next Great Champ television reality show.
Fighting on the undercard in eight-round bouts are undefeated Montreal light heavyweight prospect Dierry "Douggy" Jean (20-0, 13 KOs) against former English champion Ryan Barrett (25-9-3, 5 KOs); former NABA super featherweight titlist Arash Usmanee (16-0, 8 KOs), also fighting out of Montreal, by way of Afghanistan, and Danish invader Innocent Anyanwu (21-3-2, 12 KOs); unbeaten 2008 Colombian Olympian Oscar "Kaboom" Rivas (8-0, 5 KOs) takes on former Croatian kick-boxer Ivica Perkovic (15-12, 11 KOs); popular featherweight Tyler Asseltine (8-0, 5 KOs), a member of the 2009 Canadian National Team, meets Andras Varga (5-1-2, 0 KOs).
Also scheduled to be in action is Quebec heavyweight Didier Bence (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Stephane "Brutus" Tessier and light welterweight Ghislain Maduma (5-0, 2 KPs) vs. Jeremy Abbott (3-2, 2 KOs) in a pair of six-round bouts; as well as super featherweight Baha Laham (7-0, 2 KOs) vs. Csaba "Little Tyson" Toth in a four-round match. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
FIGHT NOW TV is available on Cablevision channel 464 as part of the iO Sports & Entertainment Pak!
Don't forget TalkinBoxing with Billy C Weekday mornings on FIGHT NOW TV
About FIGHT NOW TV: With offices in New Jersey, Las Vegas and Toronto, FIGHT NOW TV is a cross-platform media company that creates and distributes content through its television, video on demand, and online outlets.
Founded by Channel Zero, Inc. and media entrepreneur Mike Garrow, FIGHT NOW TV launched earlier this year as the first and only 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week combat sports channel in the nation. The network's mandate is to bring the best battles, fiercest fights and stunning knockouts to America. FIGHT NOW TV caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. FIGHT NOW TV is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and match-ups from around the globe.
FIGHT NOW TV has also enlisted one of the fight game's biggest names to join its camp, 5-time UFC champion and MMA legend Randy Couture, who serves as both spokesperson and analyst for the channel.
FIGHT NOW TV, It's ON! Call Your Television Provider To Order
For more information about FIGHT NOW TV go on line at www.fightnow.com, or follow on Twitter@fightnowtv and Facebook.com/fightnowtv.
CONTACTS:
Mike Garrow, FIGHT NOW TV GM, 888.994.7233 X2478, mike@FightNow.com
Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, 978.664.4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com
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Steward Trained 'Superman' Stevenson Ready for Gonzales,
Targeting Bute IBF No. 2 Eliminator February 18th
at Bell Centre in Montreal
But Stevenson, rated No. 8 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"), as well as No. 10 by the World Boxing Organization ("WBO") and No. 15 by the World Boxing Council "WBC") and IBF, also has sights set on a mega-Montreal showdown against IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute.
Stevenson vs. Gonzalez headlines a Quebec star-studded "Fast & Furious Boxing Series" event, presented by Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, at Bell Centre in Montreal.
Stevenson (16-1, 13 KOs), fighting out of Longueuil, Quebec, also is the reigning North American Boxing Association ("NABA") and North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") and International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Inter-Continental super middleweight king.
"I'm going to prove in this fight that I deserve a world title shot," Stevenson said. "I'm going to make a statement because I want Bute! I called him out after my last fight. He said he wants to fight (Andre) Ward or (Carl) Froch, which I can understand but, if they are not available, I want to prove I am the best alternative. I'm not going anywhere and soon he will have to fight me. I will be the No. 2-rated contender after this fight and soon after I will be his mandatory."
Gonzales is slick southpaw out of Phoenix (AZ), who is rated No. 12 by the IBF and No. 14 by the WBC, riding a 10-fight win streak.
"My opponent is a good puncher who has good speed," Stevenson remarked. "I'm going to box him and then catch him. When I do catch him, he's going down. He can't stay up with me.
"I'm training in Detroit with Emanuel Steward. There are many good sparring partners there. I'm getting focused and will be ready for this fight. Emanuel is teaching me good techniques. I'm going to be faster and stronger, use my jab and left hand more, with better footwork, defense and more confidence than ever. I will be a more complete fighter. Emanuel Steward is the step-up I need to win a world title.
Providing chief support for Stevenson-Gonzales in the eight-round co-feature is undefeated North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") light heavyweight title-holder, Colombian native and Montreal favorite Eleider "Storm" Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs), who takes on former USBA champion Otis "Triple OG" Griffin (23-9-2, 9 KOs), winner of Oscar de la Hoya's The Next Great Champ television reality show.
CONTACT:
Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, 978.664.4482
(both photo credits: by Vincent Ethier)
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'Superman' Returns February 18th at Bell Centre in Montreal
Stevenson / Gonzales for IBF Eliminator for #2 Position
(January 17th) - Many of Canada's best boxers will be in action February 18, highlighted by the return of world super middleweight contender Adonis "Superman" Stevenson, on the stacked "Fast & Furious Boxing Series" event, presented by Mise-O-Jeux and Videotron, at Bell Centre in Montreal.
The power puncher Stevenson (16-1, 13 KOs), fighting out of Longueuil, Quebec, is more powerful than a locomotive. He is coming off of a sensational ninth-round technical knockout victory over Aaron Pryor Jr. last month for the North American Boxing Association ("NABA"), North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") and International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Inter-Continental super middleweight titles.
A great puncher and entertaining fighter, Stevenson is rated No. 8 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"), as well as No. 15 by the World Boxing Council "WBC") and IBF. Adonis will defend his IBF Inter-Continental belt against former NABF champion Jesus "El Martillo" Gonzales (27-1, 14 KOs) in the 12-round main event.
More important, Stevenson-Gonzales will also be an IBF super middleweight voluntary eliminator fight for the No. 2 rating. The victor of this fight will be very close of a world title opportunity by earning the # 2 position in the IBF world ranking of the division ruled by Lucian Bute.
A slick southpaw out of Phoenix (AZ), Gonzales was a great amateur boxer. His style has been compared to the legendary Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He is rated No. 12 by the IBF and No. 14 by the WBC. He is riding a 10-fight win streak into the Feb. 18th fight that clearly has future world title fight implications and at 27 years old, he is at the top of his game!
"The winner of the Stevenson-Gonzalez voluntary eliminator fight will better position himself for a world title fight in 2012," promoter Yvon Michel said. "Stevenson is targeting the IBF belt. To succeed he has no intention of hoping for a favor, he will do it the old fashion way, he will earn it! This is the reason why a win against Gonzales is a must at this point of his career."
This highly-competitive card is absolutely loaded from top to bottom with champions, contenders and some of Canada's best boxing prospects in action.
One prospect on the fast track in the light heavyweight division is unbeaten Montreal favorite Eleider "Storm" Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs), the reigning NABO title-holder from Colombia and 2008 Olympian. Alvarez faces former USBA champion Otis "Triple OG" Griffin (23-9-2, 9 KOs), winner of Oscar de la Hoya's The Next Great Champ television reality show, in the eight-round co-feature.
Another undefeated Montreal fighter is light welterweight Dierry "Douggy" Jean (20-0, 13 KOs), a red-hot prospect who is matched against former English champion, southpaw Ryan Barrett (25-9-3, 5 KOs), in an eight-round bout.
Former NABA super featherweight titlist Arash Usmanee (16-0, 8 KOs), also fighting out of Montreal, by way of Afghanistan, squares-off against inappropriately named Danish invader Innocent Anyanwu (21-3-2, 12 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
In another intriguing eight-round match, unbeaten 2008 Colombian Olympian Oscar "Kaboom" Rivas (8-0, 5 KOs) takes on former Croatian kick-boxer Ivica Perkovic (15-12, 11 KOs).
Popular featherweight Tyler Asselstine (8-0, 5 KOs), a decorated amateur boxer who was a member of the 2009 Canadian National Team, has been billed by some as a younger, smaller version of fellow southpaw, Lucian Bute, or "Bute-light." From Ontario but a fixture fighting in Montreal, where six of his pro fights have been held, the 25-year-old battles Andras Varga (5-1-2, 0 KOs) in an eight round bout.
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is Quebec heavyweight Didier Bence (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Stephane "Brutus" Tessier and light welterweight Ghislain Maduma (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Jeremy Abbott (3-2, 2 KOs) in a pair of six-round bouts; as well as super featherweight Baha Laham (7-0, 2 KOs) vs. Csaba "Little Tyson" Toth in a four-round match. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, 978.664.4482
