Adonis Stevenson: The Dawson Win Will Change My Life!

By Luke Furman

Hard puncher Adonis Stevenson (21-1, 18KOs) finally achieved his dream last Saturday in Montreal. He was unable to secure the big fights at super middleweight and had to move up to 175-pounds to challenge WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. One punch was all it took for Stevenson to drop and stop Dawson at 1:16 of the very first round.

"Last year I announced that I would capture a world title in 2013. They laughed at me when I demanded a fight against Lucian Bute. This victory will change my life, those of my family and my children. I worked hard for them, because they have always supported me, "Stevenson said to The Quebec Journal.

"I have overcome many difficulties in my life to get there. I knew I could hit him. I worked hard to throw my left hand over his jab. I went to the head and body. He gave me an opening to place a perfect shot he never saw coming. He did not believe that I could hit so hard."

Stevenson also dedicated the Dawson victory to his late trainer Emanuel Steward.

"I wish he would have attended my fight. He told me never to refuse a fight with Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver if the opportunity arose, because he believed that I could knock them out. On the wall of my dressing room, there was a picture of Emanuel. Before I left [for the Dawson fight], I looked at it and I told him not to worry, because I was going to come back with the belt."

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org