By Osman Rodriguez
An interesting fight is on the table, as the IBF has ordered super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson (18-1, 15 KOs), ranked at 2, to face number 9 ranked Sakio Bika (30-5-2, 21 KOs) in an IBF final eliminator.
According to Lindsey Tucker, the championships chairman for the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Kelly Pavlik passed on the opportunity to face Stevenson last week. After Pavlik took a pass, former champion Mikkel Kessler was invited to face Stevenson, but the Danish superstar never responded by yesterday's deadline. The IBF went down the list and the next available boxer in line, Bika, was willing to take the fight.
The fight is not done, although opening discussions have taken place between Stevenson's promoter Yvon Michel and Golden Boy Promotions. There is talk that Bika's management, which involves the influential Al Haymon, is rejecting the idea of a fight with Stevenson in Montreal. Haymon's other super middleweight, Librado Andrade, had issues with the officiating of his first fight with Lucian Bute in October 2008.
If the IBF sends the fight to a purse bid, and Golden Boy wins, then Stevenson-Bika can take place anywhere.
Stevenson is scheduled return on August 11th in a Showtime televised co-feature to the light heavyweight main event between Jean Pascal and Tavoris Cloud, taking place at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
