Stevenson: To Be Honest, Kovalev Did Not Impress Me

MONTRÉAL – To be ready for the ferocious Cameroon native Sakio" The Scorpion" Bika in their upcoming WBC light heavyweight world title bout live on CBS, April 4th at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Adonis"Superman" Stevenson came back to Montreal, where he will train in his whole new boxing gym, in the northern surrounds of the city.

"My first trainer, Tiger Paul, selected the place. It is near the highways and all the major roads, said the champion Tuesday, before training for the media. It will also help me to spend more time with my kids and family. I want to help the kids in the gym too."

 Usually setting his training camp in the United States, Stevenson (25-1, 20 K.-O.) finally chose to bring his main trainer Javan"Sugar" Hill and his sparring partners to town.

"The new Kronk Gym in Detroit, owned by my cousin Sylvia Steward, is not ready. This is an opportunity for Adonis to train at his new boxing gym", explained"Sugar" Hill.

"Wherever the gym we are at, we still have to do the job. After training, we go back to his home; a couple of minutes from the gym, where he relaxes, enjoying playing on his computer."

Sakio"The Scorpion" Bika (32-6-3, 21 K.-O.) was chosen to face the 37 year old southpaw in the main event of the show Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), April 4th in Quebec City.

Known as a tough and aggressive brawler, the 2000 Sydney Olympian has an impressive resume.

"Sakio Bika is a boxing marathonian. He fought 10 times in a 12 rounds bout, while Adonis did the same only twice," analysed the Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) vice president, Bernard Barré.

"I expect a really long fight. Bika has never been stopped and when he lost it was always against world champions. He is tough and he has heart. He was also a world champion. I will have to be patient, fast and move out of range to win", admitted the Haitian born Quebecer.

"I am also excited to be the first Quebec boxer to fight in the PBC show, on CBS. Furthermore: it happens in Quebec. It is fantastic", added the champion.

 The secret card of Adonis Stevenson for this bout will be the experience of his trainer Javan"Sugar" Hill, who faces off against Sakio Bika twice. The American boxing expert was in the corner of WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell for his two fights against the warrior they call "The Scorpion".

"With Anthony Dirrell, we did a draw the first time and we won a decision the second time," mentioned Hill. "Bika is unpredictable and awkward. He hits from all kind of angles. Adonis must come back to the basics and punch well to win."

"Superman" can’t hide the truth: his ultimate goal is to fly away with all the light heavyweight world title belts.

To skip the disaster, it is really out of question for him to even think about WBO, WBA and IBF world champion Sergey"Krusher" Kovalev, as long as the mission against Sakio Bika is not accomplished.

"My dream is to unify all the titles and become the first fighter from Quebec to do so. But I’m fully focused on Bika. I know he trains hard to steal my belts", told Stevenson.

"Yes it goes through my mind, but I have to beat Bika and he (Kovalev) has an IBF mandatory defense to do before it can happen," said the GYM signed boxer. "And to be honest, his performance versus Jean Pascal did not impress me at all."

 As for"Sugar" Hill, to waste time thinking about the"Krusher" case in training camp is simply unthinkable.

"We don’t talk about Kovalev in camp, but only about Bika," assured the Detroit native.

 Tickets are on sale at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.