Matthew Stockman - Getty Images
Will Lucian Bute be smiling after he fights Carl Froch? (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Before the Super Six finals, there were rumors that Froch and Bute were going to fight regardless of the outcome of Carl Froch and Andre Ward. These rumors seem to be coming to fruition according to Dan Rafael over at ESPN. Maybe in a nod to soccer playoffs, these two are going to do a home and home. What this means is that there are going to be two fights, one in Montreal and one in Nottingham. Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, Carl Froch's promoter, commented on the on going discussions.
"We have penciled two dates -- April 14 for Montreal and Aug. 4 in Nottingham -- for the 'home and away' bouts. Don't see why we can't get this boxed off in the next week or so."
Lucian Bute's advisor also commented about the marketability of a potential fight between Bute and Froch.
"I think there is more of a story regarding Froch in Canada. For our fans in Canada, Froch has been talking against Lucian for the past five years so it's a very easy fight to promote for us."
Dan Rafael commented that not all of the details of the fight have been totally ironed out. For example, if the first fight was a KO or a complete one-sided domination, then the second fight would be tough to market.
On a personal level, I really like these fights. Froch is a tough skilled fighter who is simply not at the same level as Andre Ward. However, this isn't a slight to Froch, Ward simply has a bad stylistic matchup for him. Bute on the other hand is completely untested with his best victory coming against Sakio Bika or Librado Andrade. I feel like Bute does not have any seasoning whereas Froch has an extreme level of seasoning because of the Super Six on top of difficult matchmaking. I definitely see Froch taking this fight easily. Bute's power and skill are very overrated and Froch is honestly a big step up for Bute. Bute seems to have the tools but I have yet to see him against great competition. Need I remind you that both Khan and Ortiz looked fantastic before they stepped up in competition. Who do you guys think wins in the battle between Bute and Froch?
0 recs | 19 comments
It’s unique, I’ll say that much. If they have their outs if the first fight stinks, sure, home-and-home it is.
El Destruyo - January 10, 2012
I have no idea what they would do if both won the home fight in two close fights. Have a third?
Waldo Rastel - January 10, 2012
Froch winning easily? Really? I think if anyone wins easily, it would be Bute. Yes, he’s relatively untested compared to Froch, but he’s thoroughly outclassed everyone he’s ever fought, including the same version of Glen Johnson that gave Froch a competitive fight. Meanwhile, Froch was one hometown decision away from being 2-3 in the Super Six (he really did nothing to deserve the nod against Dirrell) and a few seconds away from dropping a decision to Jermain Taylor before the tournament. He also lost basically every round to Ward. His entire reputation in the tournament was built on outboxing the 5’9 brawler Arthur Abraham, which Dirrell and Ward did as well, and that was only because everyone was shocked that Froch actually had some boxing skills; a backhanded compliment, if anything.
Fact is, fast hands trouble Froch greatly, which Lucien Bute has in spades. Speed and athleticism in general troubles Carl, as he is neither fast (glacier slow, actually) or a young man at this point (34 and never an athlete, per se). He’s been through a lot of tough fights, dating back to the Magee and Pascal fights and continuing all through The Super Six. Meanwhile, Bute is fresh as a daisy and the younger man by 3 years. Froch will be almost 35 by the time they fight, and slower than he used to be. Bute has yet to show any evidence that he’s anything less than very fast. Plus, Bute has serious power; much more than Jermain Taylor, anyways, who managed to hurt and knock Froch down.
I fully expect Bute vs Froch to be Lucien’s coming out party. I expect him to win convincingly enough to squash any need for the second fight. I don’t see any strategy for Froch to win besides trying to walk through Bute’s shots for round after round before catching a tiring Bute late, ala Bute/Andrade I, but that’s an outside shot and a bad bet at best.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Bute knocks Froch out.
Ryan Abram - January 10, 2012
Yeah. I’m a big Froch fa and I think Bute is overrated, yet I think Bute takes it fairly easily on points, especially in Montreal. I don’t think he knocks him out, probably because he doesn’t need to, and I think there’s just enough to allow for a rematch (which I then suspect will be Froch’s last fight possibly). The fight that maybe shows the most hope for Froch is the Kessler one. Even in defeat, he showed that he can cope with a fighter of a significantly higher level than Bute has fought, and I suspect that Bute will cope less well than Kessler if it comes to warring it out, especially given the relatively easy diet of fights he’s been given.
Should be a good fight.
Apemantus - January 10, 2012
I'm with you
The biggest issue for Bute is the reach difference, but Froch tends to negate that by keeping his hands low when he fights on the outside anyway. On the other hand, Bute would have a tough time landing that left hook to the body because of where Froch holds his hands. I see this as a fairly convincing win for Bute though.
Brickhaus - January 10, 2012
my sentiments exactly!
ilfried - January 10, 2012
I don’t think Bute has any semblance of a chin and he has not been tested defensively yet. I think Froch can test Bute like a suped-up Andrade. I think Froch will rock Bute and Bute’s shots won’t do much to Froch. I see Froch backing Bute down and Bute trying but failing to fight off of the back foot.
Waldo Rastel - January 10, 2012
Jesus Christ, he got hurt once in one fight. It happens.
Scott Christ - January 10, 2012
Has he proved that he can take a decent shot?
Waldo Rastel - January 10, 2012
He hasn’t proved that he hasn’t any semblance of a chin, either.
Oli Goldstein - January 10, 2012
Waldo, Bute’s 12th round against Andrade was a question of stamina, not chin. He was so exhausted he couldn’t stand on his own. He leaned on Andrade for almost 2 minutes, everytime Andrade would move away, Bute would almost fall down on his own without being hit.
I honestly do not think that episode tells us much about his chin. If anything, it’s amazing he got up at all.
I find it more relevant that Bute has been keeping himself right in front of his opponent recently. He’s been leaving himself open to shots in both the Mendy and the Johnson fights, for instance. To me, that just says fighter who isn’t insecure about his chin.
Radu - January 10, 2012
Yes. Several times.
Scott Christ - January 11, 2012
Bute should be made favorite
Froch is taylormade for Bute attibutes. We saw in the Super Six final that when confronted with someone who has quick hands, Forch tends to use his long jab from to far of a distance, opening himself to counterattack. And that’s what Bute feist on. I think Bute wins a UD because he’s overly careful with someone with power but his beard can take some at the same time.
MontrealBoxing - January 10, 2012
Definitely not used to seeing these two-fight-contracts, but it’s all nullified if the first fight is a blowout…which I don’t see it being. Close fight all-around, but right now I think Bute shades it.
Clint_Farewell - January 10, 2012
Agree with Rafael--
if someone wins big, who cares about the rematch?
I mean, anything can happen, but… .
Don From Prov - January 10, 2012
Sometimes it happens anyway
Dawson-Tarver II anyone? While it’s odd to sign a two-fight deal, rematch clauses happen all the time and they usually get enforced, even if the first fight was definitive.
Brickhaus - January 10, 2012
Let's not overlook this:
also mentioned in Dan Rafael’s piece:
If you think about it, the Froch-Bute negotiations are nothing new, they were reported exactly as described here 2 days after the Super Six final. But what is new is Showtime’s reluctance to sponsor the fight, I actually think that’s the more relevant news here. Showtime has Bute under contract and can decide to make or break this fight as they please. This explains why there hasn’t been an official announcement yet even though all terms have been pretty much agreed to for weeks now.
And reading the article, I have to admit the Hopkins fight sounds like it could generate more money for Bute and might also be a better matchup for him given the 170 catchweight which, in my view, is a pretty big concession on Hopkins’ part. Also, a loss to Hopkins would damage Bute’s standing a lot less than a loss to Froch; Hopkins is an all time great. At the same time, a win against Hopkins might garner him a lot more prestige than one against Froch. This is a lower risk – higher reward fight for Bute, it might generate more money (especially since the Froch double will still be there for him after a Hopkins fight), it’s more agreeable for Showtime and actually carries a lot less “hurt” potential for Bute than Froch (you have to admit, Hopkins might hit Bute less than Froch might – and softer).
The more I think about it, the more I think Bute has every reason to take the Hopkins fight instead. I also believe this is why, as quoted in the Dan Rafael piece: Remember, a few weeks ago they were delighted to be giving out all sorts of details about this Froch double, whereas now they are declining to comment anymore. And this to a journalist (ESPN’s Rafael) who has been more than friendly with Interbox for a while now and who frequently writes up Bute and Interbox.
Anyway, sorry for going off there… having said these I do favor Bute both against both Froch and Hopkins. If he trains right and manages the business side carefully in order to make everyone happy and to make all these fights possible, Bute has a unique chance to really make an impression on world boxing over the next year, year and a half.
Radu - January 10, 2012
Radu – not being facetious but how would Hopkins generate more money for Bute than Froch considering the risk/reward? Hopkins is a tougher fight than Froch and at a higher weight so it is consistent that a loss to Froch would hurt Bute’s career more and a win over Hopkins would do more for Bute’s career. It’s a matter of Bute’s team weighing how much is offered for each fighter as Bute sells out the Bell Centre against anyone.
rantcatrat - January 11, 2012
Andrade knocked him out, so can Froch.
Shitali Klitschko - January 10, 2012 via mobile
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bad Left Hook to post a comment.