By Osman Rodriguez
Rising Canadian super middleweight Adonis Stevenson (18-1, 15KOs) is the next superstar at 168-pounds, according to trainer Emanuel Steward. The veteran coach is very impressed with his newest protege and expects the boxer to dominate the entire super middleweight division in the coming years.
Stevenson is getting close to a title shot and wants nothing more than a showdown with Canadian superstar and IBF champion Lucian Bute (30-0, 24KOs). Steward doesn't believe any of the existing fighters at 168 are capable of beating Stevenson and that includes Bute. If WBC champion Andre Ward continues to back away from his mandatory, Anthony Dirrell - then a battle for the vacant belt between Stevenson and Dirrell is likely.
"I think that Adonis can beat everyone at 168 pounds - even Lucian Bute. He can beat the best [at 168]," said Steward. "He is so accurate with his punches and he has natural instincts that you can not teach. He's the kind of boxer that you see once in a generation."