BoxRec

In James Degale's most recent interview with IFL tv he said that when he spoke to Haymon; he was told that Stevenson was considering moving back down to super middleweight. I don't really understand the point of that. I suppose I understand it from Stevenson clearly wanting to avoid the toughest challenges and so on but super middleweight seems a pretty dead division these days compared to what it used to be. I actually think 175 is a more interesting weight class as of now.

Moving back down in weight at 39 seems odd aswell. Stevenson has been a big disappointment for me. I actually think he is a pretty damn skilled fighter. He's a southpaw with great counter punching ability and he can punch, which is rare. It's pretty obvious however that he doesn't really want to test to himself anymore. It seems like he keeps delaying the Alvarez fight, his mandatory challenger. Alvarez is a decent fighter but he's not Ward or Kovalev so it's disappointing to see.

Because Kovalev isn't there

I agree it's strange, 168 is empty certainly no big money fights. a fight for cleverly?

Unfortunately we will never see the fight with Kovalev.

Adonis has been a big letdown; the talent is there, but since the Fonfara fight the drive isn't.

He also doesn't want to get anywhere close to Beterbiev. They are both with Haymon, both in Canada. If he wanted that fight, it would be easy to make.

crusader wrote:Adonis has been a big letdown; the talent is there, but since the Fonfara fight the drive isn't.

Frankly I don't really think the talent is there either. It wouldn't take Kovalev to beat Stevenson there's a few others that could beat him at Light Heavyweight.

Beterbiev for one.

I don't think a move to 168 is gonna be doing him any favors. He's in his late 30's so he's about to be "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" so to speak anyway if you catch my drift. A drop DOWN in weight especially isn't going to help him as far as staving off a decline. If anything it'll make it worse.

gilgamesh wrote:Frankly I don't really think the talent is there either. It wouldn't take Kovalev to beat Stevenson there's a few others that could beat him at Light Heavyweight.

A few?

Let me chime in, "Hey boxer who has full control over his career, you are a coward".
Stevenson is victim to PBC horrible fight build up. Possibly the worst of any modern organization.

gilgamesh wrote:

crusader wrote:Adonis has been a big letdown; the talent is there, but since the Fonfara fight the drive isn't.

Frankly I don't really think the talent is there either. It wouldn't take Kovalev to beat Stevenson there's a few others that could beat him at Light Heavyweight.

Beterbiev for one.

I don't think a move to 168 is gonna be doing him any favors. He's in his late 30's so he's about to be "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" so to speak anyway if you catch my drift. A drop DOWN in weight especially isn't going to help him as far as staving off a decline. If anything it'll make it worse.

I'd have to agree to disagree on that one. I think the talent is there (although time isn't on his side at 39) but he's been making these fat/inflated paychecks with Haymon whilst fighting sub-par opposition so he's completely risk averse.

Regarding Beterbiev- I'm not totally sold on him to be honest. His footwork looks very clumsy to me. He looks physically strong and clearly a big puncher- however I think he looks a bit like a discount version of Kovalev. I'm going on based on how they have both looked as pro's. I know Beterbiev beat Kovalev as an amateur however.

Whatever it is Stevenson does better be fairly big and soon because his career is taking a nose dive, I can't believe he hadn't attempted to take advantage of his once favorable position and his reputation has suffered because of it.

Dude is almost 40 and he's gonna go down in weight?

Lmao. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

Scared d*ckless of Ward, Kov and probably Beterbiev too.

The 175lb weight division has a shallow talent pool and HBO "owns" the biggest stars in that weight class.

If the outcome of the Kovalev-Ward fight is crystal clear, resulting in zero public demand for a rematch, then interest in that division will essentially "die", because it seems very difficult (if not impossible) to arrange bouts between HBO and Haymon-controlled fighters in that specific weight class.

Stevenson previously campaigned as a 168lb-er and was even Froch's mandatory challenger at some point. So he has been physically capable of competing as a super-middleweight.

Al Haymon also controls the biggest stars in that weight class, especially considering his recent affiliation with Top Rank.

So it makes sense, from a PBC perspective, to make the 168lb weight class the glamour division, leaving HBO compelled to televise bouts between the eventual Ward-Kovalev winner against a series of anonymous cab drivers.

diddy wrote:Dude is almost 40 and he's gonna go down in weight?

Lmao. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

Scared d*ckless of Ward, Kov and probably Beterbiev too.

Right !

Enlightened-One wrote:The 175lb weight division has a shallow talent pool and HBO "owns" the biggest stars in that weight class.

If the outcome of the Kovalev-Ward fight is crystal clear, resulting in zero public demand for a rematch, then interest in that division will essentially "die", because it seems very difficult (if not impossible) to arrange bouts between HBO and Haymon-controlled fighters in that specific weight class.

Stevenson previously campaigned as a 168lb-er and was even Froch's mandatory challenger at some point. So he has been physically capable of competing as a super-middleweight.

Al Haymon also controls the biggest stars in that weight class, especially considering his recent affiliation with Top Rank.

So it makes sense, from a PBC perspective, to make the 168lb weight class the glamour division, leaving HBO compelled to televise bouts between the eventual Ward-Kovalev winner against a series of anonymous cab drivers.

The current 168 division is more shallow imo.

Why, to avoid Kovalev?

He couldn't make 168, he may as well just retire, he's irrelevant now.

Kovalev should follow him there like a crazed stalker.

tigermoth87 wrote:Kovalev should follow him there like a crazed stalker.

He doesn't need Stevenson he's already pretty much considered the man at Light Heavyweight anyway. I don't see Stevenson being able to successfully move down to 168 anyway to be honest.

Stevenson just posted on twitter that he has a "big fight" in the works. I'm thinking either Pascal or Bute, but both of those guys are coming off consecutive loses and I can't see him having the balls to fight Beterbiev.

hulkmaniac wrote:Stevenson just posted on twitter that he has a "big fight" in the works. I'm thinking either Pascal or Bute, but both of those guys are coming off consecutive loses and I can't see him having the balls to fight Beterbiev.

Stevenson has basically never had a big fight other than Chad Dawson. So he basically just means he's got a fight in the works.

All this fear of Kovalev may change if Ward beats him. I may be one of the few that is not surprised, and think Ward wins.

Adonis Stevenson should go into business with Saul Alvarez breeding ducks!

I can see why as 168 is starting to get lively again with DeGale fighting Badou Jack with Callum Smith waiting in the wings, Gilberto Ramirez looking to make a name since he scalped Arthur Abraham. George Groves on the rebuild with Shane McGuigan and the Sauerlands.

Badhusker wrote:All this fear of Kovalev may change if Ward beats him. I may be one of the few that is not surprised, and think Ward wins.

Ward is the betting favorite and loads of people are picking him....can't play 'I'm one of the few' in this case.

He should consider going back to pimping ho's and stop being a waste of everyone's time