Translating Adonis

Ring TV‘s Anson Wainwright recently sat down for a Q&A with lineal light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson in anticipation of Saturday’s bout with Sakio Bika. Now it’s well known athletes of all stripes resort to clichés and pre-formulated answers for their interactions with the media, and Stevenson is no exception. So to help fill you in the champion’s real thoughts behind the media-friendly verbiage, we decided to offer a translated version of said interview. As always, you can rely on The Fight City to give you the truth the other websites don’t dare to. Check it out:

RingTV.com – What are your thoughts on your fight with Sakio Bika?

Adonis Stevenson – Bika will be motivated to win a world title in a second weight division, but I am fully prepared for everything, even if he hits me with his elbows. My power shots will hurt him. I am going for a knockout but, if the fight lasts long, it does not matter at all. I can go 12 rounds and he will tire faster than me.

TFC Translation – My only concern is Bika is dirty, and could cut or injure me with an elbow or headbutt, which could jeopardize my next fight. Other than that, Bika is in way over his head and barring any damaging fouls, I’ll wipe the Pepsi Center floor with him.

RTV – Although Bika has lost on six occasions he has fought many of the best super middleweights of the past decade, Joe Calzaghe, Andre Ward, Lucian Bute and most recently Anthony Dirrell. None of them stopped him, is that something you intend to do, to put a statement of intent out?

AS – I come from the Kronk Gym, where we train to knock people out. Each fight I go for a knockout, but if it does not happen, I can easily go hard for 12 rounds. Knockouts sell and I predict a knockout!

TFC Translation – I know I’m falling behind Kovalev in the race for respectability at 175, so I better come up with something big on Saturday. The WBC may strip me if I don’t fight Kovalev next, so my back’s against the wall. But if I can thrash Bika better than Kovalev stomped Pascal, there’s a chance I’ll strike fear in Sergey’s heart. Oh dear God, please let it be so!

RTV – In mid-March Kovalev stopped Jean Pascal. What were your thoughts on that fight?

AS – I saw the fight. Kovalev did not impress me at all. He only won because Pascal has not been active since his loss to Bernard Hopkins.

TFC Translation – *Gulp*

RTV – Kovalev has the WBA, IBF and WBO 175-pound titles, while you have the RING and WBC belts. Is that a fight that all being well can be made later this year?

AS – A purse bid will take place April 17 to make sure the fight happens this year, either in Quebec, Montreal or Las Vegas. I let my manager Al Haymon, and my promoter, Yvon Michel, take care of that.

TFC Translation – The Kovalev fight’s been postponed as much as it could be. The WBC is forcing me to fight him and there’s no other worthy opponent out there, since Kovalev took both Pascal and Hopkins out of the race. I’m pretty much out of options, aren’t I? *Gulp*

RTV – The HBO announcing crew said that after Kovalev’s recent win that you went over to them and spoke to them about wanting to fight him. What was said altogether?

AS – I said that the fight really has to take place. It is a major bout and we have to do it.

TFC Translation – I had to say something to make Max Kellerman shut the hell up for once. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, but it’s too late to take it back.

RTV – You received some criticism last year for initially moving away from a projected fight with Kovalev and then a fight with Hopkins. What would you say about that? Why did neither of those fights happen from your point of view?

AS – I was supposed to fight Hopkins, but he ran away to HBO, and finally fought Kovalev. As for Kovalev, it was a question of timing and getting paid right. Boxing is a complicated business sometimes and some people just don’t understand it.

TFC Translation – I’m 37 years old, and what you might call a late bloomer. Before taking on Kovalev–who could very well end my career–I had to milk the belt for all its worth. Hopkins can go suck a tail pipe. He just copied my strategy of running to a rival network to avoid an opponent. 

RTV – Your past is well documented, people talk about that but credit to you, you have turned your life around. Tell us about that.

AS – I help kids now. I was young…and now, I want to be a role model for those kids. I want to show them that it is possible to get out of trouble.

TFC Translation – You guys are going to bring that up every freakin’ time, aren’t you? Not only am I not the only guy with a past, I’ve done everything in my power to put it behind me and move forward, but you guys keep bringing it up. There’s other athletes who’ve done awful things more recently than that stuff I did, you know? And they don’t get grilled like me. Mayweather’s going to make over $100 million dollars in his next fight and he was in jail only three years ago. Why don’t you go ask him what he’s been doing for society lately?

RTV – Tell us about your life away from boxing, what do you enjoy doing?

AS – First of all, most people don’t know it but I am a webmaster. I like to help kids who have temper problems or dealing with autism. I also have four children to take care of. I love to spend time with them.

TFC Translation – See? I’m a good guy now.

RTV – In closing do you have a message for Bika and the light heavyweight division?

AS – I am the king of the division. I wish my opponents good luck. I am here to stay. They cannot steal my place. I am the lineal champion of the division. I beat Chad Dawson, who dominated Bernard Hopkins and was the man back then, in only 76 seconds. Since then, I am the man at 175 pounds.

TFC Translation – La la la la la I can’t hear you! La la la la la I beat Dawson! La la la la la The belt is mine! La la la la la … I want to thank Al Haymon.

https://youtu.be/eVCXCXRQyOQ