By Eric Thomas: #2 IBF super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson (18-1, 15 KO’s) could be facing #13 IBF fringe contender Don George (22-2-1, 19 KO’s) on August 11th in an IBF 168 lb eliminator bout at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
According to Dan Rafael, the International Boxing Federation has ordered an eliminator between the 34-year-old Stevenson and Edwin Rodriguez, the #3 IBF contender to get a contender for the new IBF champion Carl Froch. However, Rodriguez’s promoter Lou Dibella reportedly isn’t interested in matching Rodriguez against the hard hitting Rodriguez.
Instead, Dibella has other things in mind for his fighter. Additionally, Rafael reports that Dibella also isn’t interested in matching another one of his fighters, #6 IBF, Thomas Oosthuizen up against Stevenson either. The next available contender is #7 James DeGale. However, Rafael doubts that DeGale would be willing to travel all the way from the UK to take the fight with Stevenson. Rafael believes that it’ll come down to either #9 IBF contender Pablo Farias, who was recently stopped by Arthur Abraham in a one-sided fight or Don George, the #13 IBF contender.
George was recently soundly beaten by Edwin Rodriguez by a 10 round unanimous decision last March. George may seem like an awful choice to face Stevenson on paper, but in reality he might have a good enough chin to take Stevenson’s pot shot fighting style. Stevenson is only able to throw with big power with his pot shots. He doesn’t throw combinations with big power and his form falls apart when he flurries on his opponents.
George can punch perhaps as hard as Stevenson but without the speed. If George is able to land for more than three rounds, I see him knocking Stevenson out because Stevenson’s chin is very vulnerable. He was blown out by Darnell Boone in two rounds two years ago. That was the last time Stevenson faced a puncher. You put him in with George and it’s a toss up fight.
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