Tavoris Cloud will step in the ring next weekend against the Adonis “Superman” Stevenson. Stevenson made a splash inside the light heavyweight division this June knocking out Chad Dawson with the ‘Superman” punch in 1 round. Today on a conference call Adonis Stevenson spoke to the press regarding that upcoming fight with Tavoris Cloud.
Even though Stevenson is the man at light heavyweight, when he took the light heavyweight crown from Chad Dawson with his now called “Superman” punch, he spent less than one round in that fight. So I asked Stevenson, a life time Super Middleweight, if he was acclimated to taking a punch at 175, even though he had boxed less than one full round at 175 lbs. Stevenson’s response was, “I’m sparring heavyweights man. I can do more than punch, I can box and with boxing, that brings defense. I’m ready for his punch. There’s going to be an opening and once it’s there, he’s getting knocked out.”
This is his second camp at 175 lbs and Javon “Sugar” Hill stated that things in this camp were different and they were able to work different things. What was different? Was it the weight? Or that Cloud is orthodox?
“I’m not saying it was the weight. Adonis is good at 75; it was more about not having to prepare for a 6 foot 3 inch southpaw in Chad Dawson. Cloud isn’t as tall and isn’t a southpaw, so we were able to work on different things on how to catch Tavoris in the way that he fights,” stated Hill.
Both Hill and Stevenson went on record as saying that they are going for the knockout but feel Cloud still is a threat and respect his power as they say, he has proven before.
Gary Shaw, who is co-promoting the bout with Yvon Michel of GYM Promotions feels differently.
“You talk about Cloud’s power, where is it? The last guy he stopped was Yusaf Mack. Yes, he knocked Gabriel Campillo down but what else? He’s fought guys like Campillo and Hopkins and Mack who don’t have power and now he’s fighting Adonis,” stated Shaw. “I’ll tell you this much, those guys weren’t pure power punchers like Adonis.”
Adonis agreed stating, “You can’t tell me he’s faced a pure puncher like me in his career. I’m a pure puncher and I’m going for the knockout and that’s what sells.”
Shaw jumped back in stating, “It’s going to be an easy night of work for Adonis. Once Cloud throws a wide shot, he’s getting knocked out. I don’t know what round it will be, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 8th but once that happens he’s getting knocked out, mark my words.”
