The 12-round main event of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature top Super Middleweight contenders Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (17-1, 14 KOs) and Noe “El Carbonero” Gonzalez (28-1, 20 KOs) April 20. Find a quick preview of the Stevenson vs. Gonzalez match-up, as well as a rundown of what to expect on Friday Night Fights this weekend right here.
Main Event: Adonis Stevenson vs. Noe Gonzalez
Stevenson of Montreal, who is working with Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, has won his last four fights, all by knockout, including a February first-round, one-punch KO of Jesus Gonzalez.
After that fight ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “Boom! It’s only February, but we have our first knockout-of-the-year candidate as Stevenson simply erased Gonzalez with a thunderous left hand to move one fight closer to a mandatory shot with 168-pound titleholder Lucian Bute of Montreal.”
Stevenson said of Friday’s fight, “I know Gonzalez is a power puncher. He’s very dangerous. We’re both power punchers, so it’s going to be an amazing fight.”
Stevenson-Gonzalez is the marquee match-up on a stacked card, which is another installment in the popular Fast and Furious Series, presented in Montreal by Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron.
In addition to future world title fight implications for the winner, the 12-round main evident will be contested for Stevenson’s IBF Inter-Continental, North American Boxing Organization (“NABO”) and North American Boxing Association (“NABA”) super middleweight title belts, as well as Gonzalez’ WBC Silver Championship.
“This is a big fight because my goal is to become world champion,” Stevenson said prior to leaving his Kronk Gym training camp in Detroit. “And everybody is going to be watching this fight on ESPN. I don’t care who I fight for the world title – (Lucian) Bute, (Andre) Ward or any world champion – but first I need to beat Gonzalez. He’s a tough guy, a power puncher like me, and I’ve been sparring with some top guys to get ready for him. I will use my speed and movement.
“Manny Steward is the best trainer in the world to teach me how to be a world champion. He knows what it takes and is preparing me. He’s helped to improve my technique and I’ve improved in a lot of ways. He is the best trainer in boxing.”
Haiti-native Stevenson, fighting out of Quebec, is also ranked No. 7 by the World Boxing Association (“WBA”) and World Boxing Organization (“WBO”), and No. 9 by the World Boxing Council (“WBC”). Last February against Jesus Gonzales (27-1), Adonis registered a frightening “Superman”-like Knockout of the Year candidate in the opening round.
“I was happy with that win,” Adonis noted, “but I was scared watching his body shaking on the canvas. I didn’t want to hurt him. I’m glad that he’s okay.”
Gonzalez, a native of Uruguay now living in Argentina, is a feared puncher who has won 14 fights in a row, all but one by knockout. He captured the WBC Silver Belt in January, 2011, with a ninth-round technical knockout of Gustavo Magallanes (29-1) in Uruguay. Gonzalez is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz (president of Sampson Boxing), who also handles Noe’s manager, World Super middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KOs).
“I’m going to win,” Stevenson predicted. “I’ll box to win and, if the knockout comes, that will be good. Gonzalez is fast and I know he’ll be prepared for this fight. I’m going to be ready and prove that I’m ready to fight for the world title.”
Unbeaten North American Boxing Organization (“NABO”) light heavyweight champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs) takes on upset-minded Rayco “War” Saunders (22-15-2, 9 KOs) in the eight-round ESPN FNF co-feature. Alvarez, rated No. 15 by the WBO, was a 2008 Colombian Olympian now living in Montreal.
Argentina’s Gonzalez, a former middleweight title challenger, is coming off a second-round knockout win over Paul Rodriguez. “I know that my opponent is a puncher and that he comes to fight,” Gonzalez said. “Like all boxers, I respect him, and may the best man win.”
On ESPN2 HD and ESPN3, Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Belle Centre describing the action, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present the latest boxing news and highlights. On ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights), Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio.
Osuna will present the latest from Miguel Cotto’s training camp as he prepares for his May 5 bout against Welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather. Osuna visited Cotto’s training camp in Orlando earlier this week. In addition, ESPN boxing analyst/former editor and chief of The Ring magazine Nigel Collins will also be a special in-studio guest.
Friday’s show will air at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Montreal. The card is presented by GYM Inc.
