Cloud in line for title fight

Boxer reunites with trainer Bonanni after Hopkins loss

Despite a recent loss, Tavoris Cloud (left) is in line to get another title fight. / USA TODAY Sports

Written by

St. Clair Murraine

Democrat staff writer

Tavoris Cloud has reunited with trainer Al Bonanni for a comeback fight that will take place six months after he lost the IBF title to Bernard Hopkins.

Cloud, who four years ago became the first world boxing champion from Tallahassee, will challenge Adonis Stevenson for the World Boxing Council light heavyweight title Sept. 28 in Montreal, Canada. HBO will televise the scheduled 12-round fight.

Ironically, Cloud is preparing for a shot at becoming a two-time champion in the same place where he trained for his first title shot four years ago. He opened camp at Danny Santiago’s Central Florida Boxing gym in Ocala two weeks ago. Bonanni joined the camp on Monday, three days before the fight was officially announced.

Stevenson took the title from Chad Dawson in June with a stunning first-round knockout, 1:26 into the fight between two southpaws. Prior to that, he was an unknown contender looking for his opportunity. He gained instant fame with the win, which gave him the linear championship belt along with the prestigious Ring Magazine title of being world champion.

Cloud, 31, has far more ring experience as a professional than Stevenson, who turns 36 a week before the fight. Seventy-eight of the 123 rounds that Cloud has fought have come in championship bouts. Stevenson, on the other hand, has fought just 80 total rounds in his career.