Light heavyweight champ Stevenson says judges gave him no favours against Jack

Adonis Stevenson said Thursday he may have got a victory over Sweden’s Badou Jack if there had been at least one Canadian judging the bout.

The 40-year-old Stevenson retained his World Boxing Council light heavyweight title by the slightest of margins on Saturday night in Toronto, battling to a majority draw in which two judges scored the 12-round bout 114-114 and the other gave it to Jack by 115113.

Two judges were American and the other was Italian, while the referee was British.

Stevenson (29-1-1) and his promoter Yvon Michel both felt he may have got the benefit of the doubt in scoring close rounds if there had been a Canadian judge. Michel said he asked the Ontario boxing commission to include a Canadian judge but was turned down.

“It would have evened things out a little,” said Stevenson, a lefthanded knockout puncher who has had only six of his 31 bouts go to the scorecards.

The Blainville, Que. fighter also said he was battling a flu during the fight, which left him short of breath in the later rounds.

He didn’t want to use any medications because they may have contained banned substances.

“I took honey and hot water,” he said.

Stevenson said he hopes to be back in the ring later this year. There was a rematch clause in his contract for the Jack bout, but he may also face mandatory challenger Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Ukraine.

“If it’s Jack or him, it’s no problem for me,” said Stevenson.

“It’s not me who decides. My manager (Al Haymon) will look at that with the WBC.”

Michel said the WBC has agreed to give Stevenson a rest period before his next fight rather than force a mandatory bout within the usual 90 days.