Stevenson vs Gvozdyk ordered by WBC

WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson might finally have to face a mandatory challenger, something he hasn’t done in nearly five years, as the sanctioning body has ordered him to face Oleksandr Gvozdyk, with a purse bid set for July 2.

If the fight does go to purse bid, it will be a 65-35 split for Stevenson (29-1-1, 24 KO), who recently went to a draw with Badou Jack on May 19, snapping a 16-fight win streak that went back to 2011.

Since beating Chad Dawson for the WBC title in 2013, Stevenson has defended nine times, including wins over Tony Bellew, Andrzej Fonfara (twice), and Sakio Bika.

Gvozdyk (15-0, 12 KO) is a Top Rank fighter, 31 years old and ready for his shot. He won bronze for Ukraine at the 2012 Olympics, and has scored solid pro wins over Nadjib Mohammedi, Tommy Karpency, Isaac Chilemba, Yunieski Gonzalez, Craig Baker, and most recently Mehdi Amar.

But he’s never faced a top fighter, either, and Stevenson would be a notable step up.