Adonis Stevenson retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with a sixth round stoppage of mandatory contender Tony Bellew at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada.

In round six, Stevenson dropped Bellew with a perfect left hand. Stevenson then landed two more crunching lefts that snapped the head of Bellew back violently and referee Michael Griffin stopped the bout at 1:50 of round six.

Stevenson, 174 1/2 lbs of Montreal is now 23-1 with 21 knockouts. Bellew, 175 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is now 20-2-1.

Sergey Kovalev retained the WBO Light Heavyweight with a two round destruction of Ismayl Sillakh.

After a good boxing 1st round by both, Kovalev dropped Sillakh just seconds into the second round with a hard right hand. Sillakh was clearly hurt but ate a devastating three punch combination that decked Sillakh on hos side and the fight was stopped at 52 seconds of round two

Kovalev of Fort Lauderdale, FL is now 23-0-1 with 21 knockouts. Sillakh, 174 1/2 lbs of Simi Valley, CA is now 21-2.

UEBEC CITY – Saturday’s HBO Boxing telecast airs at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT). The telecast begins with the replay of welterweight superstar Manny Pacquiao’s dominant win over Brandon Rios on Nov. 23 in Macau.

The live HBO telecast from Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City features undefeated 175-pound title-holder Sergey Kovalev vs. Ismayl Sillakh in a 12-round title match that serves as the evening’s co-feature.

Sillakh and Kovalev face off at weigh in
Photo Credits: HBO/Ed Mulholland

The main attraction from Quebec City, a 12-round light heavyweight contest, features title-holder Adonis Stevenson as he defends his crown against challenger Tony Bellew.

Official Weights from Quebec City:

Adonis Stevenson: 174.4 lbs.

Tony Bellew: 175 lbs.

Sergey Kovalev: 174.6 lbs.

Ismayl Sillakh: 174.4 lbs.

Join the conversation on Twitter:

#StevensonBellew and #KovalevSillakh

QUEBEC CITY – Thanksgiving may have been yesterday but WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and his first title challenger, Ismayl Sillakh, need one more day to determine which of them has more to be thankful for this year. The two 175-pounders face off Saturday night on HBO, from the Colisee Pepsi, in a 12-round title clash that will have one of them closing out 2013 in style.

Both fighters have built their reputations on punching power and are expected to once again let their fists fly, come Saturday night. The question is, which of these knockout artists will go home a champion and cap off the best year of their respective careers?

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, 22-0-1, 20 KOs, originally from Chelyabinsk, Russia and now fighting out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, has had an outstanding 2013. So far he’s scored three high-profile knockouts, including his title-winning effort against Nathan Cleverly, in his most recent bout. Kovalev is riding a 6-bout knockout streak and would like nothing more than to add Sillakh’s name to that list. Another short night for the champion would further reinforce his reputation as one of the top light heavyweights in a crowded and talent-rich division.

Kovalev said, “Sillakh is a dangerous fighter, one of the strongest punchers that I have fought so far. I know that he wants to take my title, but I will not let him. I will win on Saturday. I waited a long time to get title and I intend to keep it a long, long time.”

For Ismayl Sillakh, 21-1, 17 KOs, a native of Zaporozhye, Ukraine who now resides in Canoga Park, CA, his first crack at a world championship is by far his biggest opportunity thus far. However, he too has been on a roll this year, winning all four of his 2013 fights, three of them by KO. An upset win over Kovalev would be the perfect introduction to boxing fans for Sillakh, simultaneously making his name and vaulting him into the mix of the star-studded division.

“As soon as I was offered to fight Kovalev for the WBO World title, I jumped at the opportunity,” said Sillakh, “I believe that everything happens for a reason.” He added, “I am ready for this fight 100%. I will come out victorious. I will be the newly crowned light heavyweight champion.”

Each fighter has an astronomical knockout percentage, and can legitimately claim that they are the hardest puncher that the other has faced to date. This should make for an exciting encounter with plenty of action. However only one man can go home as the WBO champion and cap off a truly excellent year. And only then will we know for sure which boxer, Kovalev or Sillakh, will be celebrating Thanksgiving late Saturday night.

The HBO broadcast begins at 10:15PM ET/PT with a replay of the Pacquiao – Rios fight, followed by the Kovalev – Sillakh battle and culminatinating with Stevenson – Bellew. A must-see show for boxing fans.

QUEBEC CITY – When WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, 22-0-1, 20 KOs, takes on Ismayl Sillakh, 21-1, 17 KOs, Saturday in an HBO-televised, 12-round title fight, he very well may have his hands full with his very first title challenger. Sillakh is on a four-fight winning streak, three by KO, and poses a real threat to take the crown.

However, if the new champion can turn back Sillakh’s challenge, a number of exciting and lucrative fights lie before him. To keep his options open for these desirable opportunities, Kovalev must first get the win in Quebec City on Saturday night. If he can, “Krusher” will stay on track for some very good fights in his immediate future.

Heading up the card at the Colisee Pepsi, in Quebec City on Saturday, is WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, 22-1, 19 KOs, in a defense of his title against British Bomber, Tony Bellew, 20-1-1, 12 KOs. The fight is an excellent matchup of two of the division’s top boxers. However in addition to its own merits as a fight, the winner also represents a likely future opponent for Sergey Kovalev.

Ever since both Kovalev and Stevenson started scoring impressive knockout victories on HBO, fans have been clamoring for the two top dogs to face each other. Such a fight would certainly be a punch out and give fight fans everything they love in a title bout.

Main Events CEO, Kathy Duva siad, “Stevenson seems to be looking for excuses to avoid fighting Kovalev. The truth is, their opposition has been pretty equal, thus far. Both dethroned the sitting champion, Cloud and Campillo were both former champions who fought to a disputed decision, so they are pretty equal. By the way, Stevenson got KO’d by Boone–a guy that Sergey beat twice. So Stevenson’s argument that Kovalev must fight former champions really doesn’t hold a lot of water. I believe that they have fought an equal number of former champions”

Likewise, if Tony Bellew can pull the upset over Stevenson, a subsequent fight with Kovalev would also be a treat for fans.

Another possible future foe for Kovalev is the winner of the January 18th encounter between Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal in Montreal. That 12-round Canadian clash, also on HBO, is a terrific battle of former world champions, and two of the division’s many legitimate stars. Seeing either of them eventually take on Kovalev is an alternative dream fight for boxing fans that would be hotly anticipated.

Looking even further forward, Kovalev may one day be matched with pound-for-pound contender Andre Ward, who will likely move up to 175 pounds in the not so distant future. A Ward-Kovalev fight is a classic boxer-puncher pairing that would have fans drooling.

As exciting as his future might be, Kovalev must first handle the business of defending his title against Sillakh. Kovalev said of Sillakh, “He’s a perfect competitor for me to defend my title against because he is vey dangerous. He has very good timing and very good at keeping distance, he punches good, he’s smart. He is a perfect opponent for my first time fighting in Canada.”

It’s a tough fight against a fellow puncher that will surely help solidify Kovalev’s future campaign. A future that gets underway Saturday night in Quebec City, at 10:15pm ET on HBO.

New York, NY / Quebec City, Canada – (11/26/13) – This Saturday, DiBella Entertainment’s (DBE) world-rated welterweight contender (WBC #6 & IBF #10) Ionut “Jo Jo” Dan Ion (31-2, 17KO’s) will look to take a major step toward once again challenging for a piece of the welterweight world crown when he faces fellow top-rated (IBF #3 & WBA #11) and undefeated welterweight contender Kevin Bizier (21-0, 14KO’s). The bout, scheduled for 12 rounds with the NABA and IBF Inter-Continental titles at stake, is also an official IBF eliminator for the #2 spot. The contest is the main supporting bout on the loaded and highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark championship double-header featuring defending WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson facing top-rated challenger Tony Bellew and WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev defending against Ismayl Sillakh. The card will be taking place at the Colisee de Quebec in beautiful Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

“I am going into this fight against Kevin Bizier with full confidence, a win is my only option,” said a determined Ion. “Boxing took me all over the world both as an amateur and a pro and I am convinced my opponent in Quebec City cannot bring anything that I have not seen yet in a boxing ring. Bizier is a good fighter and I have respect for him and his team, but he is in over his head in this fight. The two belts are changing owners this Saturday. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I want to thank my promoter DBE and also GYM for accepting our challenge to their fighter.”

“DBE signed Jo Jo Dan because we believe that he is one of the best welterweights in the world. This Saturday night he will have the opportunity to prove it. If he defeats Kevin Bizier, a world title shot should await,” stated promoter Lou DiBella.

The bout this Saturday will see Ion once again in a similar position entering enemy territory. Ion began his career reeling off 26 consecutive victories before traveling to Turkey to take on fellow undefeated top-rated contender and 2004 Turkish Olympian Selcuk Aydin for the vacant WBC Silver welterweight championship. Ion brought the fight to the hard-hitting Aydin and, despite suffering a questionable first-round knockdown, seemingly controlled the rest of the action, only to come up on the wrong end of a highly debatable 12-round split decision.

Ion scored three straight victories to earn himself a rematch against Aydin for the WBC Silver title. Unfortunately for Ion, the bout once again took place in Aydin’s home country of Turkey with the titlist pulling out a narrow decision victory, although this one was more deserved.

Looking to work his way back into title contention, Ion signed with promoter Lou DiBella in late 2012 and put together back-to-back victories to earn him the opportunity on Saturday night.

The Romanian-born Ion has been calling Montreal home ever since he turned pro in 2004 and the bout between the Quebec-native Bizier has been talked about for a while now. While Bizier will have the home crowd behind him, many of Ion’s fans are expected to make the trip over from Montreal, adding more excitement to what is an already stellar event planned for Saturday night.

MONTREAL(October 17, 2013) — The World Boxing Council (WBC), The Ring Magazine and lineal World light heavyweight champion, Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (22-1, 19 KOs), has promised to be a spectacular, popular and active champion. He is keeping his word, fighting more impressively with each other victory, as he now prepares for his fourth fight in 2013.

Stevenson’s third world championship fight in a five month period, to air in the United States on HBO®, will be in the main event against his mandatory challenger and the WBC’s No. 1 contender, England’s Tony ‘Bomber’ Bellew (20-1-1, 12 KOs), on Saturday, November 30 at Colisee Pepsiin Quebec City, Canada. The event will televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 10:15 p. m. ET/PT.

As a bonus, Quebecers will also have the pleasure of watching a second world light heavyweight title fight in the same ring as undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KOs), who like Stevenson is one of the most feared hitters in boxing today, defends his crown for the first time against challenger Ismayl “The Black Russian” Sillakh (21-1, 17 KOs) in the co-feature.

“The Quest of the Man of Steel” event, featuring double world light heavyweight championship action — Stevenson vs. Bellew and Kovalev vs. Sillakh — is being co-promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and InterBox, in association with Matchroom Boxing and Main Events, and co-presented by Mise- O -Jeu and Videotron.

According to GYM president Yvon Michel, “This attractive boxing event also helps bring international prestige to the beautiful City of Quebec for the first time since Pascal vs. Hopkins and Bute vs. Johnson. We find ourselves with valuable support, including Mayor Régis Labeaume and his team, whom we thank for their co-operation.”

“We are very happy to be participating in this event as co-promoter in the wonderful city of Quebec,” InterBox President Jean Bédard said. “We will put all our resources and knowledge at the forefront in order to contribute to the success of this event.”

The 36-year-old Stevenson, now living in Blainville (Quebec, Canada), won his world heavyweight title by way of a first-round knockout in 76 seconds over “Bad” Chad Dawson who was considered at that time the undisputed King of the Light Heavyweights. In Stevenson’s first defense (September 28), former world champion Tavoris Cloud (24-1, 19 KOs) was supposed to be a major test for the new world champion. It was quite different as the powerful left-hander pressured Cloud from the start, forcing the challenger to retire at the end of the seventh round. Stevenson gave Cloud a boxing lesson, displaying brilliant skills, finesse, speed and defensive power.

“Stevenson – ‘The Man of Steel’ – is receiving universal recognition as an exceptional boxer, as well as a superior athlete who, through his most recent performances, has risen to the level of his generation’s greatest champions,” Michel declared. “Adonis Stevenson is already considered a major international attraction in professional boxing. Every time he goes into the ring, he has an opportunity to increase its visibility and reputation.”

The powerful southpaw Stevenson is on a nine-fight win streak, all ending on sensational knockouts, over Cloud (TKO7 ), Dawson (KO1), Darnell Boone (KO6), Don George (TKO12), Noe Gonzalez (TKO2), Jesus Gonzales (KO1), Aaron Pryor, Jr. (TKO9), Shujaa El Amin (TKO1) and Derek Edwards (KO3). In fact, the last Stevenson fight that went the distance dates back to 2007.

The 30-year-old Bellew is a native of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. After a great amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 2007 and later won the Commonwealth (2010-2011) title and he still holds the WBC Silver Belt (2012). He has suffered only one loss to then WBO world champion Nathan Cleverly in 2011. He earned his mandatory challenger position by taking the measure of Isaac Chilemba on points in a WBC title eliminator this last May 25 in the co-feature a Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler headlined card in the UK. Among his notable victories was a ninth-round technical knockout of the usually durable Colombian Edison Miranda (35-7, 30 KOs).

The WBO light heavyweight championship bout between champion Kovalev and challenger Sillakh has also raised a lot of interest around the world. Kovalev once terrorized boxing rings around the world representing the Russian National Team. Now a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he continues in the same vein as a professional, stopping 20 of his 22 opponents, including his last six in a row. In his WBO world title fight last August in England, he was so strong that he tore the title belt from defending champion Cleverly (26-0, 12 KOs), by way of a fourth-round knockout, putting an end to his nearly three-year reign, including six consecutive world championship fights. Kovalev has fought only 61 rounds during his pro career in 22 fights. Eighteen of his 22 fights have ended three rounds or less.

Sillakh was one of the most decorated amateurs of his time in international boxing. The former World Cup champion as an amateur turned pro in 2008. In 2012, he was ranked the WBC No. 1 contender, before losing for the first and only time to Denis Grachev (11-0-1, 7 KOs) by eighth-round TKO. Sillakh has his last four fights to reappear in the world rankings.

Undercard fights will soon be announced as InterBox and GYM are working hard to set up another memorable event.

Tickets will go on sale this Saturday (Oct. 19) at 10:00 a.m. ET, at Pepsi Coliseum box office, on www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666, InterBox (Marie-Josée Fontaine) (450) 645-1041 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $50 in the red up to $300 on the floor.

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About Groupe Yvon Michel Inc.:

Yvon Michel (GYM) Group was founded in 2004. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers with a support frame, especially in competition. To achieve its objectives, GYM is actively recruiting talent and organizing events. Since its inception nine years ago, GYM has produced 111 events, some of which like Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II have made history in terms of ticket sales and PPV viewership. GYM has produced more than 300 hours of television for Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX , TVA, CBC , RDS and V , in Canada; as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the USA. A total of eight different GYM boxers have fought in 19 world title fights. Under the tutelage of GYM, Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight title in 2007, and WBC light heavyweight Jean Pascal the WBC crown in 2009. Since June 2013, Adonis “Superman” Stevenson has held the WBC title, The Ring Magazine and lineal light heavyweight championships.