Boxing preview: Adonis Stevenson vs Thomas Williams

This Friday night, PBC is back on Spike for a Light Heavyweight title fight as Adonis Stevenson (27-1; 22 KO) takes on challenger Thomas Williams Jr. (20-1; 14 KO). The fight is a 12 round Light Heavyweight (175 lb.) fight. Ring Magazine has Stevenson as the sport's #2 Light Heavyweight, with Williams unranked. PBC Boxing Stevenson vs. Williams airs this Friday, July 29 on Spike TV with a fight time of 9:00 p.m. ET / PT.

This fight is obviously a showcase fight for Adonis Stevenson, which is what every Adonis Stevenson fight has been since winning the title. This time, he's still the favorite by a notable margin, but Williams offers up perhaps a slightly higher level of opposition and also an interesting fight. The real fight in the division is of course Stevenson vs. Sergey Kovalev - but don't hold your breath on that one.

How do these two stack up?

Stevenson: 38 years old | 5'11" | 78" reach | southpaw stance
Williams: 28 years old | 6'1" | 72" reach | southpaw stance

What have these two done recently?

Stevenson: W - Tommy Karpency (KO) | W - Sakio Bika (UD) | W - Dmitry Sukhotsky (KO)
Williams: W - Edwin Rodriguez (KO) | W - Umberto Savigne (KO) | W - Michael Gbenga (UD)

How did these two get here?

The much maligned Adonis Stevenson burst onto the scene in 2013, knocking out Chad Dawson in 1 round in a big upset to claim the lineal Light Heavyweight title. He's 6-0 since, but has been widely and justifiably criticized for his lack of quality opposition. Stevenson has seemed to avoid a fight with consensus #1 Light Heavyweight Kovalev - in fact, the world champion has not fought a single man currently ranked in the top 10 by Ring Magazine. None the less, Stevenson remains very popular in his home country of Canada, so don't expect him to tamper with what is a working formula.

Williams, also known as "Top Dog", is a relatively inexperienced fighter in just his 6th year as a pro. His last fight was an impressive KO win over Edwin Rodriguez. His lone loss came against Gabriel Campillo when Williams quit on the stool in a fight he was winning. Williams has been brought up rather well, facing a steadily rising stream of opponent while getting in rounds and experience. He has a lot of early KO's on his record, including a round 1 KO win in a fight where Williams himself was down in the first round. He's a gutsy, KO kind of fighter, so expect him to come out looking for that early KO.

What can fans expect?

Setting aside the criticisms of Stevenson's schedule, it has to be said that he is a talented fighter with very heavy hands. His KO ratio is high, as he knows how to hurt his opponent. Williams may not have as many KO's, but he does know how to end a fight early. Stevenson is a low-risk kind of fighter, while Williams is getting the biggest fight of his career here - that probably means Williams goes for the KO in the early stages, Stevenson slows the pace down to start, then takes over. I see the champ stopping Williams around round 4. Prediction: Stevenson KO4

Why should you care?

It's on Spike, so easy to watch, plus it has the potential to be an exciting fight with a big KO finish.