Undercard Overview: Tavoris Cloud vs. Yusaf Mack and Bermane Stiverne vs. Ray Austin
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:56PM By Nat Gottlieb
Photo: Ed Mulholland
TAVORIS CLOUD-YUSAF MACK
In the co-feature, unbeaten Cloud (22-0, 18 KOs) takes on rugged veteran Yusaf Mack (29-3-2, 17 KOs). Cloud only started boxing in 2004, and while he holds one of the belts in the light heavyweight division, he has yet to lure the kind of opponent for which a victory could elevate him to star status. So far, his best foe has been Glen Johnson. Mack is a solid opponent but he is not Bernard Hopkins, Chad Dawson or Jean Pascal -- targets Cloud covets. Those fights will come, but not if he doesn’t take care of business with Mack.
BERMANE STIVERNE-RAY AUSTIN
Stiverne (20-1, 19 KOs) is a late blooming heavyweight prospect with devastating punching power. The Haitian-born Canadian started boxing at 27, but is being mentioned as a possible opponent for Wladimir Klitschko. The 40-year-old Austin (28-5-4, 18 KOs) was knocked out in two rounds by Klitschko in 2007 and then disqualified in his last fight against heavyweight contender and Olympic gold medalist Odlanier Solis. The main thing the aging Austin has going for him is a big edge in experience. Stiverne needs to show he can put away a trial horse like Austin if he is to move closer to a title challenge.