By Rick Reeno
WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (24-1, 20KOs) is delighted with a recent order handed down by the World Boxing Council, according to the boxer's promoter Yvon Michel of GYM.
Stevenson will defend his title on Friday night against Dmitry Sukhotsky (22-2, 16KOs).
During Wednesday's mandatories meeting at the WBC's ongoing convention in Las Vegas, the sanctioning body ordered that Stevenson will have to face the winner of the March 17th clash between WBO/IBF/WBA champion Sergey Kovalev (26-0-1, 23KOs) and WBC Diamond champion Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17KOs).
"We don't have any problem with this, because this is exactly what we wanted," Michel told BoxingScene.com. "After Kovalev beat Bernard Hopkins [last month], Stevenson called me at 2 in the morning and told me to get him Kovalev next year. He said he didn't care about politics or network deals, he wants to fight Kovalev."
"This fight between Kovalev and Pascal is actually an eliminator to fight the real champion of the division. Yes Kovalev has three world titles but he still had to go to the challenger's backyard to make a fight. Adonis Stevenson is the real champion and he is confident that he is the only fighter [at 175] who can beat Kovalev."
The winner of Kovalev-Pascal fight will have to satisfy an IBF mandatory defense against Nadjib Mohammedi in May or June, and during that period Stevenson (should he win on Friday) will get the opportunity to have a voluntary defense.
More importantly, the terms - if Stevenson vs. Kovalev or Pascal goes to a purse bid - will be under the terms of a 50-50 split, per the ruling of the WBC.
Michel is not worried about the split ruling.
"I don't think the fight would go to a purse bid. I believe we will reach a deal before a purse bid," Michel said. "This is what we wanted. This is the direction Adonis Stevenson wanted."
