World Weekend Boxing Roundup: Stevenson Retains WBC Title
Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada played host last night to the weekend’s top event as WBC light heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson retained his crown with a 12 round unanimous decision against challenger Sakio Bika.
Southpaw Stevenson, 26-1 (21), was able to control the contest mainly by the threat represented his left hand as Bika, 32-7-3 (21), was largely kept on the outside after feeling the weight of the champion’s power punch.
Former WBC super middle champion Bika was prevented from using his brawling skills as Stevenson simply clinched the challenger whenever he gained proximity.
There were times that Bika did get in some shots, mainly when Stevenson appeared too tired to grab and wrestle, in the fifth, eleventh and twelfth rounds, but the challenger was neutralized in every other frame as he lacked the boxing skills needed to overcome the Montreal man’s strategy.
Stevenson wobbled the steel-jawed Bika in the fifth but definitely hurt the Australian in the ninth after landing a full-blooded short left counter that dropped the challenger on his backside. Bika was incorrectly assessed a knockdown in the sixth when he tripped over Stevenson’s feet and fell to the canvas.
The last couple of rounds were the most entertaining of the contest as the champion was tired, showboating his way through at times in order not to have to fight, giving Bika some opportunities to launch haymakers, most of which missed.
Stevenson won all the scorecards by scores of 116-110, 115-111 and 115-110 and has now made five successful defenses of the WBC title.
The 37 year old could be headed to a unification clash with IBF/WBA/WBO champion Sergey Kovalev, who may first have to face IBF mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi.
The undercard in Quebec City was highlighted by light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev, 8-0 (8), who took apart former WBA champion Gabriel Campillo , 25-7-1 (12), in impressive fashion.
The former elite Russian amateur champion Beterbiev had Campillo on the canvas in the first round and was never troubled by the far more experienced Spaniard, who strangely stood closely to his adversary but punched very little.
By the fourth, Beterbiev was landing heavy flush shots and Campillo was down again. The end came when the former champion took a pinpoint right hand to the face, losing by knockout at 2:22 of the round.
At Gymnase du grand Coudret in Saintes, France, Karim Achour, 19-4-3 (3), retained the French middleweight belt for the seventh time with a ten round UD over Jonathan Bertonnier, 18-14-3 (6).
At The Arena in Avellino, Italy, Massimiliano Ballisai, 19-2 (11), defended his Italian lightweight strap for the first time with a ten round UD against previously undefeated challenger Vincenzo Finiello, 10-1-2 (1).
Jumping across continents, Japanese flyweight king Yu Kimura, 16-2-1 (3), kept hold of his domestic strap with an eighth round stoppage of Hayato Yamaguchi, 12-6-1 (2), at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Jumping the Pacific, we land in Metepec, Mexico where WBC super fly boss Carlos Cuadras, 32-0-1 (25), fought off the challenge of Luis Concepcion, 32-3 (23), by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111.
Cuadras has now retained the title on three occasions and is unbeaten during the course of his seven year pro career.
Crossing the Atlantic, super middleweight Luke Blackledge, 19-2-2 (6), annexed the vacant Commonwealth crown with a 12 round UD against Liam Cameron, 18-4 (6), at King George’s Hall in Blackburn, England.
On the other side of the island, the action was at Metro Radio Hall in Newcastle where super flyweight Anthony Nelson, 10-0 (2), wore down Jamie Wilson, 5-1 (1), who did not come out for the sixth round.
Cruiserweight Jon-Lewis Dickinson, 16-4 (5), acquired the WBC International Silver trophy by halting titlist Stephen Simmons, 11-1 (5), in the eighth round.
On Friday, Canadian welter champion Steve Claggett, 21-3-1 (14), won a ten rounds points verdict against Tebor Brosch, 7-7-5 (2), at the Deerfoot Inn in Calgary, Canada.