Photo by Stephanie Trapp
WBC Light Heavyweight champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (27-1, 22 KOs) is one of the top names in the Light heavyweight division.
He has lost some respect from his fans recently however, as he has not faced any well-known fighters since 2014 in his bout with Andrzej Fanfara.
Superman will attempt to regain his respect this Friday when he meets Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. (20-1 14 KOs) in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Superman has been described by many as a strategic power puncher, especially in his last few fights, and is known for his deadly left hand. Williams Jr. on the other hand is feared as one of the hardest hitting power punchers in his weight class.
When these two powerful styles clash on Friday, fireworks will ensue for as long as the bout lasts.
Keep reading to find out three keys to Adonis Stevenson’s success over Thomas Williams Jr.
Respect His Power
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No matter how you look at it, Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. is a vicious power puncher. Since his 11-month absence in 2014, neither of his two bouts have gone past the second round.
Since Williams Jr. is a natural righty fighting southpaw, his right hook is his money punch. It’s the punch he knocked out Edwin Rodriguez with, and it’s going to be the punch he will try knocking out Stevenson with.
The issue with Top Dog’s power punches however, are that they are his crutch. Relying on his power punches, he does not display boxing finesse.
He rarely sets up his power punches, potentially allowing for an opponent to anticipate his strongest asset.
If Stevenson can keep respect for Top Dog’s power and avoid exchanging, he’s got a strong chance of defeating Williams Jr.
Keep Your Distance
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Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. seems a bit disproportional physically. Although he stands at 6’1″, his reach does not extend past 72,” giving Stevenson a five-inch reach advantage.
Williams Jr. overcomes this disadvantage however, as he is able to close distance, forcing his opponents to exchange on the inside. This was shown in both of his most recent bouts, suffering at least a three-inch reach disadvantage to both fighters.
Stevenson needs to keep Williams Jr. at a distance with his jab. If Williams Jr. closes the distance and gets inside, Stevenson needs to stick and move with a straight left.
If Stevenson can outbox Williams Jr. and keep him at a distance, Top Dog will not be able to land the power shots he needs to defeat Stevenson.
Expose the Holes in His Defense
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Since Thomas Williams Jr. has such stunning power, it follows that he is very eager to throw his power punches.
His issue however, is that he becomes overeager to throw power punches and often forgets about his defense. This was shown in the Umberto Savigne fight, in which he was knocked down from a straight right.
It was also shown in the Edwin Rodriguez bout. Williams Jr. was so eager to throw his hook that he squared up and forgot about his head movement, causing him to get hurt in the first round.
If Adonis Stevenson can keep this in mind and keep an eye out for Williams Jr. to expose his own defensive weaknesses, there is a very strong chance that the night will end with Williams Jr. on his back and Stevenson celebrating his victory.
