In thirty days, on June 3 in Montreal, Andrzej Fonfara (29-4, 17 KO) will have a boxing version of déjà vu – same place (Bell Centre), same rival (Adonis Stevenson) and same stakes (WBC light heavyweight championship). Almost exactly three years ago, on May 24, 2014, then 26-year-old Fonfara, after 12 rounds of brutal fighting, lost a decision to Stevenson (28-1, 23 KO).
“I’m very confident about fighting him again. I will be better, he will be older,” says Fonfara. Stevenson-Fonfara, along with another very interesting light heavyweight bout between #1 WBC rated Eleider Alvarez (22-0, 11 KO) and Jean Pascal (31-4, 18 KO), will be seen on Showtime.
As usual, the most important question when a big fight is coming closer – are you healthy, no injuries?
All good, no reason to complain. Hard work inside, sunny California outside. We’re entering the last 30 days, the most important part of any training on full speed. Just did the 30-day WBC safety weigh in. 190 pounds, after a good breakfast. On schedule.
The Road to Stevenson began a long time ago, in September 2016, when you started working with Virgil Hunter and eventually prepared for another southpaw, Chad Dawson. In New York, you were in serious trouble, losing on the scorecards, before knocking out Chad in the last round.
Different fighters, different fights… Who said I would be fighting Stevenson the same way I did Dawson? I fought them both, know the difference. Dawson is much harder to hit, very good when fighting on the defensive. He was prepared perfectly and spent a long time getting ready for our fight. Stevenson is much more vulnerable when going backwards, there’s time and space to punch him hard. You don’t change your tactics in the ring after every round, you stay on course. It was a calculated risk with Dawson, risking getting hit a couple of times, but knowing that he will not be able to sustain my tempo and pressure the whole fight. He didn’t. After the sixth round, he had no strength. I made it in time.
What will be the most important factor fighting Stevenson? Staying disciplined? Aggression? Keeping him on the defensive?
I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. Probably all of the above.
What’s more important for Virgil Hunter, talking about your experiences from your first Stevenson fight or watching current tapes?
We talk often. Exchanging opinions, discussing the first fight. Virgil asks, ‘why did you do this or that?,’ seeks my take of what went on between the ropes. If needed, we make corrections. Now, as the date is getting closer, we’ll have more conversations about tactics. But with Virgil Hunter, everything is fluid. It’s about the fighter. No set number of sparring rounds I have to go through, or set anything really. It’s day to day decisions, what’s best for fighter development. I already feel more at ease, faster, more explosive than I was before the Dawson bout. Everything comes easier. My son Leo will be one year old in July. I have an idea for a gift. It’s green and gold.
