The fight is agreed upon by both parties, they only need to make on deal on when and where it's happening. GYM ( Stevenson promoter ) say they would like to put it on the Cloud-Pascal undercard but claim Bika doesn't want to fight in montreal. Still, if they managed to pull it off, it would be the best card in Canada's history imo ( and by that, I mean featuring canadian fighters not Duran-Leonard cases ) and a real test for Stevenson. And with their styles, it should be a real war to boot. Still, a big part of me don't really believe the fights is gonna be put on the Pascal-Cloud undercard. Why put it there when it can sells as an headliner on his own ? I know Stevenson's not a real draw ( and Pascal ain't that much of a draw either, at least not compared to Bute wich is sad as he's far more proven and just plain better ) but I think it could do well as a main event for a smaller gala.
bika comes to fight but has such an ugly dirty style hes not always in the most entertaining bouts. big test for the canuck though.
No way. Bika is such a non-entity these days that his presence on the card is only a negative. Stevenson is not even a champ, nor undefeated. Cloud is lucky to be a champ. Pascal is Pascal. Since Pascal isn't at his peak (disagree?), I have to think that the oulette hilton cards, probably some bute cards, probably other pascal fights (like when he was the champ, perhaps against Froch or Dawson), and surely many other cards have been bigger, better, and more important to the Canadian boxing scene.
BIka is still a contender, not te best of the division but a danger man who can ko anyone. To call him a non entity is very harsh especially since you argue that Bute probably headlined a better card than this when, imo, Bika is his best win ( and please don't give me 60 y.o. Glen JOhnson ). Plus the fight is for the IBF n.1 contender spot and is a rare case where it's deserving to be such. Pascal-Dawson was a bigger fight than Pascal-Cloud but the undercard sucked. As much as I loved the Hilton, they never faced a champion as proven as Cloud is
BTW MIke, who cares that Stevenson is not undefeated? He's still one of the best ( if not the best ) ko artist in the division and he's on a hot streak. This is some fanboy bullshit to be bothered by this
We'll just have to disagree on Bika. At this stage of his career, I just see him as a trial horse. Do you see the card having a comparably sized or larger crowd as any previous Canadian card or just being as 'good or better' on paper? My point on Stevenson is that I think he would be more popular if undefeated right now.
I don't think Stevenson loss really affected his popularity. It happened when he was basically unknown and he has a ton of excuses for it. He had left Otis Grant and GYM and it was his first and only fight withouth them (he has now left Otis Grant for Manny Stewart since the JEsus Gonzles bout ) and his new team seemed very amateurish. Plus, it's impossible to find any video of it asfaik. Stevenson lack of popularity is mostly due, imo, to the fact that he reminds people too much of the stereotypical black street thug ( wich isn't embraced here as it is in the US ) and, to a lesser degree, that he was pimp, literally.
Bika pulled out, odds are that it will be Stevenson- Donovan Georges instead as it's pretty much a given that Dirrell will decline the fight. Still, Georges-Stevenson is not a bad fight, but a little bit disapointing as Georges is far less proven than Bika is
Poor Stevenson, word is that Andre Dirrell accepted the fight, he's basically the worst opponent he could get. Adonis only hope is too catch him early with a big shot to bring out the pussy in Dirrell
Damn, the musical chair continues as Dirrell finally declined the fight. Don Georges is pretty much assured to accept the fight. Far easier fight for Stevenson and a fight that should be also much more exciting
